Induction of Caspase-9, Biochemical Assessment and Morphological Changes Caused by Apoptosis in Cancer Cells Treated with Goniothalamin Extracted from Goniothalamus macrophyllus

Abstract

Goniothalamin, a natural compound extracted from Goniothalamus sp. belonging to the Annonacae family,possesses anticancer properties towards several tumor cell lines. This study focused on apoptosis induction bygoniothalamin (GTN) in the Hela cervical cancer cell line. Cell growth inhibition was measured by MTT assay andthe IC50 value of goniothalamin was 3.2±0.72 μg/ml. Morphological changes and biochemical processes associatedwith apoptosis were evident on phase contrast microscopy and fluorescence microscopy. DNA fragmentation,DNA damage, caspase-9 activation and a large increase in the sub-G1 and S cell cycle phases confirmed theoccurrence of apoptosis in a time-dependent manner. It could be concluded that goniothalamin show a promisingcytotoxicity effect against cervical cancer cells (Hela) and the cell death mode induced by goniothalamin wasapoptosis.