AUTHOR=Couder-García Beatriz del Carmen , Jacobo-Herrera Nadia J. , Zentella-Dehesa Alejandro , Rocha-Zavaleta Leticia , Tavarez-Santamaría Zaira , Martínez-Vázquez Mariano 

TITLE=The Phytosterol Peniocerol Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Tumor Growth in a Colon Cancer Xenograft Model

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2019.01341

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2019.01341

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objective:</bold> This study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of peniocerol against human colon cancer cell lines and its antitumor effect <italic>in vivo</italic> in a xenograft model using <italic>nu/nu</italic> mice.</p><p><bold>Materials and Methods:</bold> SW-620, HCT-15, and HCT-116 colon cancer cell lines were treated with peniocerol for cytotoxicity by crystal violet technique. Cell apoptosis induction was detected by flow cytometry, and the antitumor activity of peniocerol was evaluated in a xenograft model of HCT-116 in <italic>nu/nu</italic> mice. After treatment, the effect of peniocerol was analyzed in histological sections of tumors by immunohistochemistry using DAPI, anti-PCNA, and PARP-1 antibodies.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Peniocerol inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis <italic>in vitro</italic> in a time and dose-dependent manner. Besides, peniocerol administration (30 or 15 mg/kg) inhibited tumor growth and induced apoptosis in the xenograft mice. The lack of peniocerol toxicity was proved by a biochemical blood analysis of healthy <italic>nu/nu</italic> mice administrated with this sterol.</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> Our results proved that peniocerol induces apoptosis <italic>in vitro</italic> and <italic>in vivo</italic> assays.</p>