TITLE:
Differential Anticancer Effect of an Apple Extract (Applephenon®), Polyphenols and Isoflavones on Normal Human Keratinocytes and Epidermoid Cancer Cells
AUTHORS:
John J. Wille, Mark A. Berhow, Jong Y. Park
KEYWORDS:
ApplephenonTM (AP-SH Grade), Cytotoxicity, Epicatechin, Epidermal Keratinocytes Epidermoid Cancer Cell Lines (A431, HaCaT, HeLa), Genistein, Polyphenols
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Cancer Therapy,
Vol.10 No.6,
June
30,
2019
ABSTRACT: Applephenon®, a
purified extract prepared from green apples, was examined for its cytotoxicity
and inhibitory effects on the proliferation of cultures of normal human
keratinocytes and several epidermoid cancer cell lines. Our HPLC studies
demonstrated a high content of phenolic compounds (>65%), including
catechin, epicatechin, caffeic acid and phloretin as well as polyphenols such
as proanthocyanidins. Applephenon® demonstrated a greater cytotoxic effect against
HeLa, A431 cancer cell lines and HaCaT, an immortalized keratinocyte cell line
than serum-free cultures of proliferating normal human keratinocytes (NHK).
Proliferation of NHK was inhibited at concentrations above 0.0013% while
concentrations above 0.005% were cytotoxic. By contrast, Applephenon® solutions above 0.00025% killed each of the cancer cell lines. Treated cells
displayed increased intercellular separation and evidence of keratinizing
stratification. We also tested the effect of epicatechin, and two isoflavonoids,
genistein and daidzein, on cancer cell lines. Hela cells were more sensitive to
epicatechin and genistein inhibition of cell growth and cytotoxicity than were
NHK. Daidzein at these concentrations had little effect on cancer cells. These
results indicate that Applephenon® and some of its phenolic components have selective anticancer activity.