Antiangiogenic and proapoptotic activities of allyl isothiocyanate inhibit ascites tumor growth in vivo.

The authors investigate the antiangiogenic and proapoptotic effects of mustard essential oil containing allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) and explore its mechanism of action on Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT) cells. Swiss albino mice transplanted with EAT cells were used to study the effect of AITC. AITC was effective at a concentration of 10 mum as demonstrated by the inhibition of proliferation of EAT cells when compared with the normal HEK293 cells. It significantly reduced ascites secretion and tumor cell proliferation by about 80% and inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor expression in tumor-bearing mice in vivo. It also reduced vessel sprouting and exhibited potent antiangiogenic activity in the chorioallantoic membrane and cornea of the rat. AITC arrested the growth of EAT cells by inducing apoptosis and effectively arrested cell cycle progression at the G1 phase. The results clearly suggest that AITC inhibits tumor growth by both antiangiogenic and proapoptotic mechanisms.