Antitumor activity of the Ailanthus altissima bark phytochemical ailanthone against breast cancer MCF-7 cells.

Ailanthone is isolated from the bark of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle (Simaroubaceae). The mechanism that underlies the activity of ailanthone on MCF-7 cells was investigated by MTT assay. Breast cancer MCF-7 cells were treated with 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 8.0 µg/ml ailanthone for 24, 48 and 72 h. The inhibition of proliferation induced by treatment with ailanthone was assessed by MTT assay. Apoptosis and cell cycle distribution in MCF-7 cells with the same doses of ailanthone for 48 h were determined by flow cytometry. Expression of apoptosis-associated genes and proteins were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analysis, respectively. The results revealed that ailanthone inhibited MCF-7 cell proliferation. Flow cytometry assay demonstrated that ailanthone induced apoptosis and G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in MCF-7 cells. Western blotting and RT-PCR assays demonstrated that upregulation of pro-apoptotic caspase-3 and Bcl-associated X, and downregulation of anti-apoptotic apoptosis regulator B-cell lymphoma-2 in MCF-7 cells may be associated with the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of proliferation. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to investigate the antitumor activity of ailanthone from A. altissima on MCF-7 cells and to attempt to elucidate the underlying mechanism. The present study revealed the presence of ailanthone-mediated antitumor effects, indicating that ailanthone may be a novel phytomedicine with potential use in breast cancer therapy.