CYTOTOXIC EFFECT OF ALOE-EMODIN ON CANCER AND ENDOTHELIAL HUMAN CELLS

The aim of this work was to expand the knowledge of the anticancer activity of aloe-emodin (AE), herbal anthraquinone, studying its inhibitory effect on different types of human cells. We applied a combination of biochemical techniques to assess its cytotoxic effect. Treatment with this natural compound efficiently inhibited the proliferation of cervical cancer cells HeLa and human lung adenocarcinoma 111299 cells and also had, although less, cytotoxic effect on differentiated human brain microvascular endothelial hCMEC/D3 cells. Using conditions in which the hCMEC/D3 cells formed a contact-inhibited mono layer representing a model of the human blood brain barrier (BBB) in vitro, we studied the effect of AE on the cell viability of these cells. The cytotoxic effect of AE on normal endothelial cell line hCMEC/D3 and cancer lines HeLa and 111299 was evaluated by MTS and MTT cell viability assays and trypan blue exclusion assay. ToPro-3-based plasma membrane permeabilization assay additionally supported the lower cytotoxicity of this natural compound on differentiated endothelial hCMEC/D3 cells. These results together suggested that aloe-emodin inhibits both tumour and endothelial cell viability, but non-proliferating hCMEC/D3 endothelial cells were less sensitive to AE than human cancer cells HeLa and 111299. Therefore, AE possesses antitumour properties and might be a good candidate for the development of anticancer drugs based on natural products.