Study of antiproliferation and induction of apoptosis by jatrophone and curcusone B on human cancer cells

Abstract

Jatropha species have long been used as traditional medicines but only few scientific studies in the field of cancer therapy are available. This study was designed to evaluate the antiproliferative and apoptotic properties of jatrophone from the stem bark of Jatropha gossipyfolia and curcusone B from the stem bark of Jatropha curcas on human cancer cells. The pure compounds were screened on oral (HSC3), lung (H1299) and leukaemia (K562) cell lines. Cells were cultured in the presence of jatrophone and curcusone B at various concentrations and the rate of antiproliferation was determined with MTT assay for monolayer cells and Trypan Blue Exclusion assay for suspension cells. Agarose gel electrophoresis was used to detect DNA fragmentation as a hallmark of apoptotic cell death. The study revealed that curcusone B had significant antiproliferative activity against K562 and H1299 cells at an estimated IC50 of 6 ug/ml and 15 ug/ml respectively. Jatrophone did not significantly inhibit proliferation of K562 and H1299 cells despite an impressive decrease in percentage cell viability. None of the compounds showed activity against HSC3 cells. DNA purified from K562 and H1299 cells treated or untreated with 100 ug/ml of curcasone B for 48h and 72h was loaded onto agarose gels for electrophoresis. No DNA ladder pattern was detected regardless of the duration of treatment. Curcusone B from the stem bark of Jatropha curcas has potential as an anticancer agent but the mode of cell death needs to be studied using a multi-parameter approach.