Aqueous extract of the Argentinean native plant prosopis caldenia (caldén) induces cytotoxic effects against triple-negative breast cancer cells

Abstract

Plant-originated drugs/formulations are employed as a complementary therapy for treating various human ailments including cancer. Recently, native species from Argentina belonging to genus Prosopis have begun to be studied for their beneficial biomedical properties. Prosopis caldenia (Pc) is locally known as ?Caldén? and it has not been studied from a medicinal point of view. The aim of this work was to investigate the antitumor potential of Pc leaves aqueous extract (PcAE) against MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) cells. To this end, cell viability was studied by colorimetric crystal violet and MTT assays in cells treated with vehicle or PcAE (10-100-1000-2500-5000 ug/ml). Cell cycle was analysed by flow cytometry in cells stained with propidium iodide. Cell migration was assessed by "wound closure" assays. The results show that PcAE reduced cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner in both cell lines at 48 and 72 hours (h) of treatment (p<0.001). Cell cycle analysis demonstrate that PcAE (1000 ug/ml) arrested 4T1 cells at S-phase (48 h: PcAE 49.51 ± 0.24 vs. vehicle 35.92 ± 0.67 %; p<0.001 - 72 h: PcAE 41.83 ± 2.55 vs. vehicle 32.75 ± 2.77 %; p<0.05). In MDA-MB-231 cells, PcAE (1000 ug/ml) induced S-phase arrest at 48 h (PcAE 43.62 ± 1.15 vs. vehicle 37.19 ± 0.41 %; p<0.001) and increased the percentage of cells in sub-G0 population at 72 h of treatment (PcAE 3.78 ± 0.25 vs. vehicle 2.16 ± 0.12 %; p<0.01). Regarding cell migration, PcAE decreased the migratory capacity of MDA-MB-231 cells (1000 ug/ml, 16 h, p<0.001). These results show, for the first time, the antitumor effects of the active principles present in an aqueous extract of Caldén leaves on TNBC cells. This study highlights the importance of the native species of our country as a potential resource of metabolites with therapeutic implications in cancer.