Differential Mechanism of Action of 3,4',7-O-trimethylquercetin in Three Types of Ovarian Cancer Cells

Anticancer Res. 2018 Sep;38(9):5131-5137. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.12835.

Abstract

Background/aim: 3,4',7-O-trimethylquercetin (34'7TMQ), a derivative of quercetin, inhibited ovarian cancer cell migration and invasion without affecting proliferation. In this study, the apoptotic effect of 34'7TMQ on three cancer cell lines (CRL-1978, CRL-11731, SK-OV-3) was evaluated.

Materials and methods: Expression of pro-apoptotic proteins such as Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, p38 MAP kinase, and caspase-9 were measured by western blot analysis. Annexin-V staining was performed to visualize apoptotic signaling.

Results: Caspase-9 was up-regulated in all three cell lines. Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was up-regulated in CRL-1978 and SK-OV-3 but down-regulated in CRL-11731. The p38 MAPK was down-regulated in CRL-1978, up-regulated in SK-OV-3, and had differential expression in CRL-11731. Annexin V staining indicated that 34'7TMQ at 6.25 μM induced apoptotic signaling in the CRL-1978 ovarian cancer cell line.

Conclusion: 34'7TMQ induced apoptosis in three types of cancer cell lines but it appears to have a different mechanism of action in each cell line.

Keywords: Annexin-V; Ovarian cancer; apoptosis; methylquercetin.

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Down-Regulation
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Quercetin / analogs & derivatives*
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Quercetin
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases