Expression of cdk4 Gene in MNU-Induced Breast Cancer Wister Female Albino Rats Treated with Ethanolic Extract of Peperomia pellucida Aerial Parts

ANTI- HYPERPLASIA PROPERTY OF THE Peperomia pellucida AERIAL PARTS EXTRACT IN N-METHYL-N-NITROSOUREA INDUCED BREAST CANCER OF WISTER FEMALE ALBINO RAT

Abstract

Breast cancer being the most prevalent type of cancer, with 2.26 million cases and primary cause of cancer death in women, thus need for treatment with minimal side effect. To determine the anti- proliferative potential of P. pellucida aerial parts extract on R24 residue of CDK4 n-methyl-n-nitrosourea (MNU) induced breast cancer of Wister female albino rats. Phytochemical screening was performed on ethanolic extract of P. pellucida aerial parts, and fifty (50) Wister female albino rats were grouped into 5 groups based on their body weights. The treatment of animals lasted for 8 weeks. The breast tissues from each rat were harvested and fixed in formalin for histopathology and the expression level of mRNA was determined by Quantitative RT- PCR. Qualitative phytochemical screening revealed the presence of reducing sugar flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, saponins and tannins while the quantitative analysis revealed that reducing sugar has the highest concentration of 63.25 µg/g. The extract shows no signs of toxicity or mortality during the period of observation. The gene expression studies revealed that the target gene was up regulated in the group that received MNU only while the target gene was down regulated in the group that received higher concentration of the extracts. Histological assay shows vascular abnormality in the group that received MNU only, while reduced vascular abnormalities were seen in the groups that received different concentration of the extract. This study shows that P. pellucida aerial possesses antiproliferative potential against MNU-induced breast cancer rats.