Effects of Teucrium spp.: Extracts on migratory potential and redox status of human colon SW-480 and breast MDA-MB-231 cancer cells

Abstract

Plant extracts are proved to possess many positive effects in cancer treatment. While many of commonly used therapeutics rely on cytotoxic methodologies, much less are based on positive influence on migrating potential of cancer cells, i.e. on antimetastatic grounds. Here, according to our knowledge, for the first time was investigated influence of Teucrium montanum L. and T. polium L. methanolic extracts on migratory potential of colorectal cancer cell line SW-480 and human breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 cell line. The redox status was evaluated on the basis of concentration of superoxide anion radical (O2 .-), nitrites and reduced glutathione (GSH), determined spectrophotometrically, while migratory potential of cancer cells was followed by real time cell analysis. Our results showed acute increasing of superoxide anion radical, decreasing of nitrites and decreasing of GSH in SW-480 cells. In MDA-MB-231 cells investigated extracts showed no change in GSH level. Also, methanol extract of T. montanum in low concentrations decreased cell migration, while T. polium showed antimigratory potential in higher concentrations and in treatment periods longer than 12 hours. Investigated Teucrium spp. extracts showed changes in redox status leading to enhancement of oxidative stress. Also, results indicated moderate reducing of migratory potential of tested cancer cells. However, correlation between redox status and antimigratory effects were not observed. According to these findings, the additional investigation of the exact mechanism of antimigratory effect should be performed.

Keywords

• breast cancer
• colon cancer
• migration
• redox status
• Teucrium spp.