Pharmaceutica Analytica Acta

Abstract

In Vitro Cytotoxicity and Apoptosis Induction in Human Cancer Cells by Culture Extract of an Endophytic Fusarium solani Strain Isolated from Datura metel L

Gini C Kuriakose, Satpal Singh, Pradumn K Rajvanshi, William R Surin and Jayabaskaran C

Objectives: Endophytic strains of many plants-particularly medicinal plants-produce a plethora of secondary metabolites, many of which are of immense pharmaceutical importance e.g. anticancer properties. Datura metel L., an important medicinal plant in use as a topical application to remove tumors apart from its other medicinal uses, has not been extensively explored for the potential of its endophytes for their pharmacological significance. The present study was thus initiated to investigate the anticancer effects of the organic extract of an endophytic fungus isolated from this plant.
Methods: We report the anticancer effects of an endophytic Fusarium solani fungal strain isolated from Datura metel L. as evaluated by its culture extract on five human cancer cell lines (HepG2, HeLa, MCF-7, OVCAR-3 and PC-3). The ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract of three week grown fungal culture was tested for its cytotoxic activity on different cancer cell lines by MTT ([3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay. The apoptosis-inducing activity and its effect on mitochondrial membrane potential were measured by flow cytometry using JC-1 dye. Nuclear DNA condensation was assessed by fluorescence microscopy using Hoechst 33342 stain. DNA fragmentation was visualized by gel electrophoresis.

Results: The ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fungal culture extract showed cytotoxic activity against all the tested human cancer cell lines, in particular against cervical cancer cells HeLa. Further, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, DNA fragmentation and nuclear chromatin condensation strongly support the ability of organic extract to induce the cancer cell apoptosis though the mitochondrial pathway. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that the Fusarium solani organic extract harbor potential anticancer lead compound(s) which inhibited the proliferation of various cancer cells by inducing cell apoptosis.