N-(p-coumaroyl) serotonin induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in breast cancer cells.

PURPOSE: Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy among women. Breast cancer cells may develop resistance to current chemotherapy, thus new chemotherapeutic agents are urgently needed. METHODS: A major number of drugs with anticancer activity have been isolated from plants. Herewith, we investigated for the first time the effect of N-(p-coumaroyl) serotonin (CS), isolated from Centaurea seed on a drug-resistant breast carcinoma (MCF-7) cells. Viability and proliferation of the cells were examined with trypan blue exclusion assay and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Caspace-8, cell cycle, and CD24/CD44/CD56/ CD58/CD71/CD15 expression were tested with flow cytometry. RESULTS: Treatment with CS significantly reduced cell viability. Induction of cell death and cell cycle arrest was confirmed with flow cytometry. After treatment with CS, there was a dose-dependent decrease in CD24/CD44/CD58/CD71 expression, whereas there was no change in CD56 and CD15 expression. CONCLUSION: The treatment of breast cancer cells with CS may represent a novel therapeutic strategy and requires further investigation.