KAFKAS UNIVERSITESI VETERINER FAKULTESI DERGISI, cilt.16, sa.3, ss.397-404, 2010 (SCI-Expanded)
A natural product Propolis, is a resinous material gathered by honeybees from the buds and bark of certain trees and plants. Propolis contains various chemical components of biological activities, including antimutagenic, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral and anticarsinogenic. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the antiapoptotic effect of propolis extracts (PE) using caspase pathway in the human osteogenic sarcoma cell line SAOS-2 in culture. The extracts which produced in ecologic environment were taken from the Hacettepe University, Beytepe Campus area-Ankara were used. Seven different PE at 0.5, 0.25, 0.125 and 0.063 mg/ml were added to SAOS-2 cell line for two days incubation. For cell proliferation and cytotoxicty analyses MTT, for apoptotic cell death determination TUNEL method, for distribution of caspase 6, caspase 8 and caspase 9 indirect immunocytochemistry analyses were used. After MTT analyses, the most effect was observed PE 7 at the 0.125 mg/ml dilution. The number of TUNEL positive cells was more detectable at PE 4 and 5 at the 0.063 mg/ml, and PE 7 at the 0.125 mg/ml dilutions. The immunoreactivity of caspase 6 was stronger than caspase 8 and 9. Moreover, density of caspase 6 staining was much better especially in PE 7 at the 0.125 mg/ml dilution. In conclusion, the mechanisms of apoptosis induction by PE may appear via caspase pathway because of its anticanserogenic effect. PE may be usefull in the cancer treatment protocol.