Aims: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women throughout the world. Among the various methods for preventing and treating cancer, plant natural compounds have more benefits than chemical drugs and have less side effects. Recently, many studies have been carried out on the antioxidant, anticancer, antiproliferation, and antiinflammatory properties of plant lignans, indicating the importance of these compounds in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. In the present study, the cytotoxic effects and inducing apoptosis of pinoresinol and lariciresinol lignans were investigated on SKBr3 breast cancer cell line.
Materials & Methods: SKBr3 cells were treated with different concentrations of both pinoresinol and lariciresinol, separately for 72 hours. Then, cell viability and cells morphological changes were determined using MTT assay and inverted light microscope, respectively. Also, apoptosis induction was analyzed by flow cytometry using an Annexin V-FITC apoptosis detection kit.
Findings: Both pinoresinol and lariciresinol treatments induced morphological changes, decreased cell growth, survival, proliferation and a significant increase in apoptosis induction in SKBr3 cell line compared to control cells in a concentration-dependent manner.
Conclusion: Inducing apoptosis and preventing the growth and proliferation of cancer cells are important mechanisms in the treatment of cancer. Pinoresinol and lariciresinol can be used to reduce cell proliferation and increase apoptosis induction in prevention and treatment of breast cancer.