Abstract:
Objective The present study aims to investigate the effects of apigenin on the proliferation breast cancer of T47D cell line.
Methods T47D cells were cultured in vitro. Cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay. Morphological changes in the apoptotic cells were observed by a fluorescent microscope. Flow cytometry was used to detect the ratio of apoptotic cells and cell cycle distribution. Western blot analysis was used to detect the apoptosis- and cycle-related protein.
Results MTT showed that apigenin could inhibit the proliferation of T47D cells in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Fluorescent staining and flow cytometry showed a significant increase in the apoptosis of T47D cells after apigenin treatment, and the apoptotic ratios of the different groups were (2.41 ± 0.072)%, (10.87 ±0.028) %, (18.02 ±0.056) %, (37.05 ±0.092) %, and (78.38 ±0.082) %, respectively, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). Apigenin could induce G2/M arrest of T47D cells, and the ratio of G2/M phase increased with increasing concentration of apigenin (P < 0.05). The cleaved PARP, caspase3, p53, p21, Bax, and p-Cdc2 significantly increased, whereas Bcl-2, cyclin B1, and Cdc2 expression decreased.
Conclusion Apigenin could induce p53-dependent apoptosis and G2/M arrest of the breast cancer T47D cell line.