Inhibition of carcinoma cell growth and promotion of inflammatory properties of macrophages by Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke subsp. macrocarpa ethanolic extract

Abstract

Introduction: Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke subsp. macrocarpa is a wild herbaceous plant known for its nutraceutical properties, and use in folk medicine. This study investigates the anti-cancer properties of S. vulgaris extracts.Methods: The leaves and roots of S. vulgaris were extracted by the Soxhlet extractor with ethanol, their phenolic content was determined by RTHPLC-DAD. By using squamous cell carcinoma cells and bone marrow-derived macrophages, we defined the ability of S. vulgaris extracts to kill tumour cells and suppress the tumour -promoting phenotype of macrophages.Results: A total of 21 phenolic compounds were detected, among which dihydrochalcones phloredzin and phloretin were most abundant, encompassing about 70% of the whole polyphenolic content in leaf extract. In the root extract, 45.75% of the polyphenolic compounds are flavonoids (epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, and avicularin). The leaf and the root extracts exhibit cytotoxic activity against A431 tumour cells. The highest cytotoxic activity was observed by root extract (IC50 =102.65 vs 173.26 mu g /mL). Interestingly, this extract also most potently induces the anti-tumour properties of BMDMs by decreasing the expression of genes typically expressed by tumour-associated macrophages, such as ARG1, CD163, CD209, TREM2, FIZZ1, MMP9, and CCL17, and suppressing the expression of the angiogenic factors EGF and VEGF. In contrast, the leaf extract promotes the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators IL-6, TNF-alpha, and iNOS in macrophages.Conclusions: The results highlight the anti-tumour properties of S. vulgaris leaves and roots, which underscore its effectiveness in traditional medicine and may open new avenues for its use in therapeutic anti-cancer applications.