Dark sweet cherry (Prunus avium) phenolics enriched in anthocyanins exhibit enhanced activity against the most aggressive breast cancer subtypes without toxicity to normal breast cells

Abstract

This study assessed dark sweet cherry (DSC) phenolics as chemopreventive/chemotherapeutics against aggressive breast cancer subtypes.DSC phenolics in whole extract (WE) and fractions enriched in phenolic acids (F1), flavonols (F3) and proanthocyanidins (F4) inhibited breast cancer cell growth with potency MDA-MB-453 > MDA-MB-231 ∼ BT-474, without toxicity to MCF-10A normal breast cells, except F3 that inhibited BT-474 and MCF-10A cells with similar toxicity. DSC anthocyanins (F2) inhibited breast cancer cell lines with similar potencies without toxicity to MCF-10A cells.Mechanisms for WE, F2 and F4 breast anticancer activity may be mediated by reduction of oxidative stress, Akt/mTOR, p38, and survivin regulation, suggesting antiproliferative and apoptotic mechanisms. F2 significantly downregulated mRNA levels of invasive/metastatic biomarkers Sp1, Sp4, and VCAM-1, and Sp1 protein suggesting an enhanced chemopreventive/chemotherapeutic potential of DSC anthocyanins. Further studies are needed to elucidate underlying mechanisms of DSC phenolics as natural breast cancer chemopreventive compounds.

Keywords

• Cherry
• Prunus avium
• MDA-MB-453
• Breast cancer
• Phenolics