Amos A Amoliga

Conference 2023 Presentation

Project title

THE MIGRATORY AND APOPTOTIC EFFECT OF CRYPTOLEPINE ON BREAST CANCER CELLS

Authors and Affiliations

Dr. Anastasia Aikin1,2, Mr. Nicholas Offei 1,2

1. Department of Biochemistry Cell and Molecular Biology (BCMB)
2.West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP)

Abstract

Background

Breast cancer is a disease in which aberrant cells form tumors in the breast. It remains an issue of high concern due to its lethal nature. Resisting cell death and metastasis are linked to cancer progression. Drugs that are able to induce apoptosis and inhibit metastasis are therefore potent anti-cancer therapies. Crytolepine is the main alkaloid in Crytolepis sanguinolenta, it exerts anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic properties and is hence used as an antimalarial drug. The migratory and apoptotic effects of cryptolepine on MDA-MB 468 and MDA-MB 231 cells were studied.

Methods

MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) was used to determine the IC50 of cryptolepine on MDA-MB 468 and MDA-MB 231. Cell imaging, trypan blue exclusion, wound healing assays and RT-qPCR was performed to study the effects of cryptolepine on cell morphology, migratory rate of cells, and gene expression levels of selected genes.

Results

Cell imaging and trypan blue exclusion revealed that treated cell cultures had fewer cells, fewer cell-cell contacts, and more apoptotic bodies than untreated cells. Gene expression studies showed significant downregulation of NF-κB in both MDA-MB 231 and MDA MB 468 cells, the BCL2 gene on the other hand was only downregulated in only MDA-MB 231 cells. E-cadherin, a cell migration suppressor, was upregulated, whereas vimentin, a cell migration inducer, was down-regulated. In conclusion, cryptolepine can induce apoptosis, and inhibit migration in MDA-MB 468 and MDA-MB 231 cells, with a more dramatic effect in MDA-MB 231 cells.

Conclusions

The findings from this study suggest that cryptolepine may prove to be a potent therapy for breast cancer.