Title : The effect of Tulbaghia violacea aqueous leaf extract on the expression levels of cellular proteins involved in apoptosis in HKESC-1 cell line.
Abstract:
Oesophageal cancer is the sixth largest cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Current cancer treatments cause severe headaches, nausea, hair loss, and anxiety, hence there is a continuous need for alternative therapies from sources such as medicinal plants. Tulbaghia violacea is a medicinal plant that has been used traditionally to treat oesophageal cancer in Southern Africa. This study examined the effects of T. violacea aqueous leaf extracts on HKESC-1 cell line apoptotic protein expression. The results obtained from the MTT assay showed that the plant extracts inhibited the proliferation of the HKESC-1 cells for both 24 h and 48 h treatment duration in a dose-dependent manner. Morphological changes observed in treated HKESC-1 cells included blebbing, shrinkage, rounding of the cells, and shrinkage while RAW 264.7 cells showed minimal changes. The AOEB stain showed that the extracts induced apoptosis. The DNA laddering assay showed a smearing effect for both 24-hour and 48-hour treatment. Upregulation of BAX and p53, Downregulation of BCLXL, and minimal effects on BCL-2 expression were observed through qPCR. These findings collectively suggest that T. violacea aqueous leaf extracts induced apoptosis in HKESC-1 cells through the activation of genes associated with the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. The results of this study also confirm the anticancer potential of T. violacea. Future studies will focus on the identification of the bioactive compound(s) responsible for anticancer activities.
