LE3 .A278 2019

2019

Coombs, Melanie

Acadia University

Bachelor of Science

Honours

Biology

Biology

Phytochemicals are natural compounds found in fruits and vegetables that have anticancer potential. Studies suggest that a healthy diet can result in a decreased risk for cancer. The phytochemical phloridzin (PZ), abundant in apple peels, has been esterified with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to generate a new molecule called PZ-DHA. Recent studies have demonstrated the anti-cancer effects of PZ-DHA in experimental models of breast and liver cancers as well as leukemia. In this study, we examined the anti-cancer effects of PZ-DHA on the HCT-116 colon cancer cell line in vitro. A methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay demonstrated that PZ-DHA significantly inhibited the metabolic activity of colon cancer cells in a time-and concentration-dependent manner. Although apoptosis and necrosis were not significantly increased after 24 h exposure to 100 μM PZ-DHA, cell proliferation was significantly inhibited after 72 h exposure at the same concentration. HCT-116 3-dimensional colon tumors were successfully formed in vitro; an acid phosphatase assay was used to investigate the effects of PZ-DHA on tumor viability and the compound did not reduce cell viability in the tumors after 72 h treatment of 50 or 100 μM. twist and slug gene expression were investigated in PZ-DHA treated cells using quantitative RT-PCR; the viability was not significantly altered after 24 h of 25 and 50 μM concentrations of PZ-DHA. PZ-DHA inhibits the cell viability and proliferation of HCT-116 colon cancer cells, which supports further research on the possible treatment of colon cancer using novel drug candidate derived from food molecules

The author retains copyright in this thesis. Any substantial copying or any other actions that exceed fair dealing or other exceptions in the Copyright Act require the permission of the author.

https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:3246