Evaluation of cytotoxic effect of Rheum ribes extracts against MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line and analysis of ODC1 gene expression

The characteristics of cancer cells that differentiate them from normal cells can be attributed to the increase of the ornithine decarboxylase enzyme (ODC), which has a very important role in the metabolism of polyamines in cancer cells. In this research, we tried to study the effects of cytotoxicity of Rhubarb extract on three different solvents distilled water, ethanol and n-hexane on MCF-7 cell lines. Also, the rate of expression of the ODC1 gene as one of the genes involved in breast cancer was studied under the influence of the extract of this plant.

MCF-7 breast cancer cells were cultured in DMEM medium. Subsequently, they were subjected to increasing concentrations of extract from 0-200 μg/mL. The cytotoxic activity of the extract was investigated using MTT assay. The quantitative analysis of the ODC1 gene was performed using the Real Time-PCR.

Cell line mortality increases significantly in a concentration-dependent manner. In the rhubarb extracts, the most cytotoxicity was observed in 72 hours. Changes in ODC1 gene expression in MCF-7 cell lines treated with different concentrations of rhubarb extract indicate a decrease in gene expression with increasing concentrations of extracts.

The results of this study indicate that Rhubarb extract has a potential influence on ODC1 gene expression in breast cancer cells and cause inhibition of cancer cell proliferation.