Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    Anticancer activity of thymoquinone in breast cancer cells: Possible involvement of PPAR-γ pathway

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    Woo, C.
    Loo, S.
    Gee, V.
    Yap, C.
    Sethi, G.
    Kumar, Alan Prem
    Benny Tan, K.
    Date
    2011
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Woo, C. and Loo, S. and Gee, V. and Yap, C. and Sethi, G. and Kumar, A.P. and Benny Tan, K. 2011. Anticancer activity of thymoquinone in breast cancer cells: Possible involvement of PPAR-γ pathway. Biochemical Pharmacology. 82 (5): pp. 464-475.
    Source Title
    Biochemical Pharmacology
    DOI
    10.1016/j.bcp.2011.05.030
    ISSN
    0006-2952
    School
    School of Biomedical Sciences
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/50131
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Thymoquinone (TQ), an active ingredient of Nigella sativa, has been reported to exhibit anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities through mechanism(s) that is not fully understood. In this study, we report the anticancer effects of TQ on breast cancer cells, and its potential effect on the PPAR-γ activation pathway. We found that TQ exerted strong anti-proliferative effect in breast cancer cells and, when combined with doxorubicin and 5-fluorouracil, increased cytotoxicity. TQ was found to increase sub-G1 accumulation and annexin-V positive staining, indicating apoptotic induction. In addition, TQ activated caspases 8, 9 and 7 in a dose-dependent manner. Migration and invasive properties of MDA-MB-231 cells were also reduced in the presence of TQ. Interestingly, we report for the first time that TQ was able to increase PPAR-γ activity and down-regulate the expression of the genes for Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and survivin in breast cancer cells. More importantly, the increase in PPAR-γ activity was prevented in the presence of PPAR-γ specific inhibitor and PPAR-γ dominant negative plasmid, suggesting that TQ may act as a ligand of PPAR-γ. Also, we observed using molecular docking analysis that TQ indeed formed interactions with 7 polar residues and 6 non-polar residues within the ligand-binding pocket of PPAR-γ that are reported to be critical for its activity. Taken together, our novel observations suggest that TQ may have potential implication in breast cancer prevention and treatment, and show for the first time that the anti-tumor effect of TQ may also be mediated through modulation of the PPAR-γ activation pathway.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Manganese superoxide dismutase is a promising target for enhancing chemosensitivity of basal-like breast carcinoma
      Prem Kumar, Alan; Loo, S.; Shin, S.; Tan, Tuan zea; Eng, C.; Singh, R.; Putti, T.; Ong, C.; Salto-Tellez, M.; Goh, B.; Park, J.; Thiery, J.; Pervaiz, S.; Clement, M. (2013)
      Aims: Although earlier reports highlighted a tumor suppressor role for manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), recent evidence indicates increased expression in a variety of human cancers including aggressive breast ...
    • PPARγ disease gene network and identification of therapeutic targets for prostate cancer
      Venkatachalam, G.; Kumar, Alan Prem; Sakharkar, K.; Thangavel, S.; Clement, M.; Sakharkar, M. (2011)
      Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) belongs to the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily. Recently published reports demonstrate the importance of a direct repeat 2 (DR2) as a PPARγ-responsive element in ...
    • Thymoquinone: Potential cure for inflammatory disorders and cancer
      Woo, C.; Kumar, Alan Prem; Sethi, G.; Tan, K. (2012)
      Thymoquinone is an active ingredient isolated from Nigella sativa and has been investigated for its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities in both in vitro and in vivo models since its first extraction ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.