Evaluation of the in vitro effects of aloe-emodin in cultivated urothelial cells

• Grant number: 12/25367-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2013
• End date: March 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Pathological Anatomy and Clinical Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Deilson Elgui de Oliveira
• Grantee: Marina Araújo Naves
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FMB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller), popularly known in Brazil as babosa, has a long history of use as medicinal plant for different therapeutic purposes. The plant extract components are present in various products for human consumption, mainly nutritional and cosmetics. However, studies suggest that this extract also exerts carcinogenic activity. The aloe vera extract is a complex mixture of bioactive compounds and the study of its isolated compounds may help to elucidate the contradictory effects related about the consumption of the plant, as well as their mechanisms of action. Among these compounds, one of the most important is aloe-emodin, that is a secondary metabolite formed in the intestinal tract and has been shown possible antimicrobial and antitumor effects. Studies have indicated possible urothelial cells exposure to aloe emodin, but only one study in the literature evaluates its effects on urothelial cells. The study suggests that aloe emodin inhibits the viability of T24 cancer cells by apoptosis induction. There is no sufficient information about the effects of aloe emodin on urothelial cells, and this study aims to evaluate the hypothesis that treatment with aloe emodin could alter the behavior of other urothelial cell lines in vitro. The in vitro IC50 exposure of aloe emodin to human non neoplastic urothelial cells (1T1) and malignant neoplastic (SW780, TCCSUP) will be determinated. Additionally, cell proliferation and apoptosis will be evaluated and possible differences in the behavior of urothelial cells in vitro treated with aloe emodin will be compared to untreated cells. Differences between strains will be also evaluated. (AU)