Survivin Down-regulation by α-Santalol Is Not Mediated Through PI3K-AKT Pathway in Human Breast Cancer Cells

α-Santalol, a terpenoid found in sandalwood oil, has been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth in vitro by inducing apoptosis. This study was performed to investigate the anticancer properties of α-santalol associated with the induction of apoptosis in cultured MCF-7 [estrogen receptor (ER)-positive,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Anticancer research 2015-10, Vol.35 (10), p.5353-5357
Main Authors: Bommareddy, Ajay, Crisamore, Karryn, Fillman, Sarah, Brozena, Sarah, Steigerwalt, James, Landis, Terra, Vanwert, Adam L, Dwivedi, Chandradhar
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology
Apoptosis
Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy
Breast Neoplasms - metabolism
Cell Line, Tumor
Cell Proliferation - drug effects
Chromones - pharmacology
Down-Regulation
Female
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic - drug effects
Humans
Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins - metabolism
MAP Kinase Signaling System - drug effects
MCF-7 Cells
Morpholines - pharmacology
Sesquiterpenes - pharmacology
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Summary:α-Santalol, a terpenoid found in sandalwood oil, has been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth in vitro by inducing apoptosis. This study was performed to investigate the anticancer properties of α-santalol associated with the induction of apoptosis in cultured MCF-7 [estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, and wild-type p53)] and MDA-MB-231 (ER-negative and mutant p53) breast cancer cells. Expression of major proteins examined in the study were determined using a standard western blot protocol and analyzed by LICOR-Odyssey infra-red scanner. Total protein levels of survivin were confirmed by survivin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Cell viability was assessed by the trypan blue dye exclusion assay, and caspase-3 activity was determined by caspase-3 (active) ELISA kit. Treatment of breast cancer cells for 6 and 9 h with α-santalol (20, and 40 μM) resulted in statistically significant concentration-dependent down-regulation of survivin. Phosphorylated protein kinase B (pAKT) levels were found to be slightly up-regulated despite the down-regulation of survivin. Pharmacological inhibition of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase - protein kinase B (PI3K-AKT) pathway did not result in a synergistic/additive increase in cell death or caspase-3 activity caused by α-santalol. The study reveals that survivin down-regulation by α-santalol in breast cancer cells is not mediated through the PI3K-AKT pathway.
ISSN:1791-7530