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Article

Insights into Molecular Mechanisms of Anticancer Activity of Juniperus communis Essential Oil in HeLa and HCT 116 Cells

by
Tijana Marković
1,
Suzana Popović
2,
Sanja Matić
1,*,
Marina Mitrović
3,
Marijana Anđić
1,
Aleksandar Kočović
1,
Milena Vukić
4,
Vladimir Petrović
4,
Jovica Branković
4,
Nenad Vuković
4,
Danijela Todorović
5,
Miroslava Kačániová
6,7 and
Dejan Baskić
2,8
1
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića, 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
2
Centre for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića, 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
3
Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića, 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
4
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, Radoja Domanovića, 12, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
5
Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića, 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
6
Institute of Horticulture, Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering, Slovak University of Agriculture, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 94976 Nitra, Slovakia
7
School of Medical & Health Sciences, University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw, Okopowa 59, 01 043 Warsaw, Poland
8
Institute of Public Health Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Plants 2024, 13(17), 2351; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13172351
Submission received: 17 July 2024 / Revised: 19 August 2024 / Accepted: 21 August 2024 / Published: 23 August 2024
(This article belongs to the Section Phytochemistry)
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Abstract

As cancer remains a significant global health challenge, there is an increasing need for novel therapeutic approaches. We investigated the antitumor potential of Juniperus communis berry essential oil on cervical cancer HeLa and colorectal HCT 116 cells. Cytotoxicity was evaluated through the MTT assay, revealing concentration-dependent reductions in cell viability. A clonogenic assay demonstrated long-term cytotoxic effects. Apoptosis markers were assessed via flow cytometric analysis and showed an induction of the intrinsic pathway in both cell lines, demonstrated by the elevated levels of cleaved caspase-3, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, JC-10 monomer formation, and cytochrome C migration to the cytosol. The treatment inhibited cell-survival pathways in HCT 116 cells and arrested HeLa cells in the S phase. An extensive molecular docking screening provided insight into the binding affinity and interaction patterns of the essential oil components with NADH ubiquinone oxidoreductase and superoxide dismutase enzymes, further confirming the induction of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. The obtained in silico and in vitro results indicated the anticancer potential of J. communis berry essential oil as it interferes with cancer cell molecular mechanisms. Our findings highlight J. communis berry essential oil as a promising natural agent with anticancer potential.
Keywords: Juniperus communis; apoptosis; cancer Juniperus communis; apoptosis; cancer

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MDPI and ACS Style

Marković, T.; Popović, S.; Matić, S.; Mitrović, M.; Anđić, M.; Kočović, A.; Vukić, M.; Petrović, V.; Branković, J.; Vuković, N.; et al. Insights into Molecular Mechanisms of Anticancer Activity of Juniperus communis Essential Oil in HeLa and HCT 116 Cells. Plants 2024, 13, 2351. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13172351

AMA Style

Marković T, Popović S, Matić S, Mitrović M, Anđić M, Kočović A, Vukić M, Petrović V, Branković J, Vuković N, et al. Insights into Molecular Mechanisms of Anticancer Activity of Juniperus communis Essential Oil in HeLa and HCT 116 Cells. Plants. 2024; 13(17):2351. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13172351

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marković, Tijana, Suzana Popović, Sanja Matić, Marina Mitrović, Marijana Anđić, Aleksandar Kočović, Milena Vukić, Vladimir Petrović, Jovica Branković, Nenad Vuković, and et al. 2024. "Insights into Molecular Mechanisms of Anticancer Activity of Juniperus communis Essential Oil in HeLa and HCT 116 Cells" Plants 13, no. 17: 2351. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13172351

APA Style

Marković, T., Popović, S., Matić, S., Mitrović, M., Anđić, M., Kočović, A., Vukić, M., Petrović, V., Branković, J., Vuković, N., Todorović, D., Kačániová, M., & Baskić, D. (2024). Insights into Molecular Mechanisms of Anticancer Activity of Juniperus communis Essential Oil in HeLa and HCT 116 Cells. Plants, 13(17), 2351. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13172351

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