Anticancer effects of α, β Momorcharin and its mechanism of action on different cancer cell lines

The protein α β Momorcharin extracted from the tropical plant, Momordica charantia , was shown to possess anti‐cancer and anti‐HIV properties. This study investigated both time and dose dependent effects of α β Momocharin on the viability of 1321N1, Gos‐3, U87‐MG, Sk Mel, Corl‐23 and Weri Rb‐1, 6 cancer cell lines and L6 cells in the absence and presence of either temozolomide or vinblastine. The study also determined the mechanism(s) via which α β Momorcharin can exert its effect on cell death measuring the activities of caspase‐3 and −9, cytochrome c release and intracellular free calcium concentrations [Ca 2+ ] i . The results show that α β Momocharin can evoke both time (800 μM) and dose‐dependent (200 μM ‐ 800 μM) decreases in cell viability over a period of 24 h following incubation compared to untreated cells or healthy L6 cells. Combining α β Momocharin with either temozolomide (80 μM‐320 μM) or vinblastine (10 μg‐40 μg) resulted in significant (p< 0.05) decreases in cell viability. Incubation of the different cancer cell lines with α β Momocharin (800 μM) for 24 h resulted in significant (p< 0.05) increases in the activities of caspase‐3 and −9, cytochrome c release and elevation in [Ca 2+ ] i in all the cell lines compared to untreated and L6 cells. The results indicate that α β Momocharin can evoke cancer cell death via apoptosis and cellular Ca 2+ homeostasis.