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Xanthohumol inhibits inflammatory factor production and angiogenesis in breast cancer xenografts
Author(s) -
Monteiro Rosário,
Calhau Conceição,
Silva Artur Oliveira e,
PinheiroSilva Sandra,
Guerreiro Susana,
Gärtner Fátima,
Azevedo Isabel,
Soares Raquel
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of cellular biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.028
H-Index - 165
eISSN - 1097-4644
pISSN - 0730-2312
DOI - 10.1002/jcb.21738
Subject(s) - xanthohumol , angiogenesis , immunostaining , apoptosis , cancer research , trypan blue , tunel assay , cancer , vascular endothelial growth factor , medicine , cancer cell , tumor necrosis factor alpha , cell growth , pathology , immunohistochemistry , biology , immunology , ecology , biochemistry , genetics , key (lock) , vegf receptors
Xanthohumol (XN), a natural polyphenol present in beer, is known to exert anti‐cancer effects. However, its precise mechanisms are not yet clearly defined. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of oral administration of XN in breast cancer xenografts in nude mice. Proliferation and apoptosis were first examined in MCF7 cell cultures after incubation with XN by trypan blue exclusion assay, [ 3 H]‐thymidine incorporation, KI67 immunostaining and TUNEL. Morphological and histological characteristics of tumours from XN‐treated or control (vehicle‐treated) mice were compared. Immunohistochemistry for proliferative, inflammatory and endothelial cell markers was performed and activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) pathway was assessed by ELISA. In vitro MCF7 cell proliferation decreased in a dose‐dependent manner. Oral administration of XN to nude mice inoculated with MCF7 cells resulted in central necrosis within tumours, reduced inflammatory cell number, focal proliferation areas, increased percentage of apoptotic cells and decreased microvessel density. Anti‐angiogenic effects of XN were further confirmed by immunoblotting for factor VIII expression in XN‐treated tumours as compared to controls. Decreased immunostaining for NFκB, phosphorylated‐inhibitor of kappa B and interleukin‐1β were also observed as well as a significant decrease in NFκB activity to 60% of control values. These novel findings indicate that XN is able to target both breast cancer and host cells, namely inflammatory and endothelial cells, suggesting its potential use as a double‐edge anti‐cancer agent. J. Cell. Biochem. 104: 1699–1707, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.