Nutr Res Pract.  2011 Jun;5(3):185-191.

Chestnut extract induces apoptosis in AGS human gastric cancer cells

• Lee HS
• Kim EJ
• Kim SH

Abstract

In Korea, chestnut production is increasing each year, but consumption is far below production. We investigated the effect of chestnut extracts on antioxidant activity and anticancer effects. Ethanol extracts of raw chestnut (RCE) or chestnut powder (CPE) had dose-dependent superoxide scavenging activity. Viable numbers of MDA-MD-231 human breast cancer cells, DU145 human prostate cancer cells, and AGS human gastric cancer cells decreased by 18, 31, and 69%, respectively, following treatment with 200 microg/mL CPE for 24 hr. CPE at various concentrations (0-200 microg/mL) markedly decreased AGS cell viability and increased apoptotic cell death dose and time dependently. CPE increased the levels of cleaved caspase-8, -7, -3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase in a dose-dependent manner but not cleaved caspase-9. CPE exerted no effects on Bcl-2 and Bax levels. The level of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein decreased within a narrow range following CPE treatment. The levels of Trail, DR4, and Fas-L increased dose-dependently in CPE-treated AGS cells. These results show that CPE decreases growth and induces apoptosis in AGS gastric cancer cells and that activation of the death receptor pathway contributes to CPE-induced apoptosis in AGS cells. In conclusion, CPE had more of an effect on gastric cancer cells than breast or prostate cancer cells, suggesting that chestnuts would have a positive effect against gastric cancer.

Keyword

Chestnut; ethanol extracts of chestnut; antioxidant activity; anticancer effect; gastric cancer

MeSH Terms

Apoptosis
Breast
Breast Neoplasms
Caspase 8
Caspase 9
Cell Death
Cell Survival
Ethanol
Humans
Korea
Prostatic Neoplasms
Stomach Neoplasms
Superoxides
X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein
Caspase 8
Caspase 9
Ethanol
Superoxides
X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein