Abstract—The potential cancer preventive effects of water and ethanolic extracts of three new jujube cultivars were examined in HepG2 and Jurkat cancer cell lines. Apoptosis induction was detected from alteration of nuclei morphology via DAPI staining, and apoptosis death mode was detected via Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide fluorescence flow cytometry. Results showed that ethanolic jujube seed extracts exhibited antiproliferation only in the Jurkat cell line. Cultivar Taiwan exerted high antiproliferation effect (IC50=232.4±7.8 μg/ml) > Jumbo (IC50=312.0±18.3 μg/ml) > Rianthong (IC50=401.6±9.9 μg/ml), respectively (p<0.05). Melphalan (a positive control) exhibited significant antiproliferation in both HepG2 (IC50=37.5±3.9 μg/ml), and Jurkat cell lines (IC50=119.1±10.4 μg/ml) but also had cytotoxic effect on the normal Vero cell line (IC50=75.0±2.3 μg/ml). The early and late stages of apoptotic cell death as well as necrosis were detected in Jurkat cells, in both a cultivar and a concentration dependent manner. Jumbo induced more late stage apoptosis > Rianthong > Taiwan > melphalan. The order of test compounds that caused necrosis were Taiwan > Jumbo > Rianthong > melphalan. Rianthong was the most promising cancer preventive cultivar based on antiproliferation and apoptosis induction activity with corresponding less necrosis. However, as all jujube seed extracts were not toxic to Vero cells, all jujubes cultivars tested are promising candidates for more elaborate study of their anticancer mechanisms.

Index Terms—Apoptosis, jujube, cytotoxicity, cancer.

Natthanan Taechakulwanijya is with the Graduate School, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand. (e-mail: natthanan.taechakulwanijya@gmail.com).
Natthida Weerapreeyakul is with Center for Research and Development of Herbal Health Products (CRD-HHP), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khon Kaen, University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand (e-mail: natthida@kku.ac.th).
Sahapat Barusrux is with Centre for Research and Development of Medical Diagnostic Laboratories (CMDL), Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand (e-mail: sahapat@kku.ac.th).
Sirithorn Siriamornpun is with Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, Mahasarakham University, Mahasarakham, 44150, Thailand (e-mail: sirithons@hotmail.com).

 

Cite:Natthanan Taechakulwanijya, Natthida Weerapreeyakul, Sahapat Barusrux, and Sirithorn Siriamornpun, "Apoptosis Induction Effect of Three Jujube Cultivars in HepG2 and Jurkat Cell Lines," International Journal of Bioscience, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics vol. 3, no. 6, pp. 540-544, 2013.