Saffron (Crocus sativus) extract has anticancer activity through inhibition of migration and invasion potential of breast cancer cells Janelle Mecias, Meaghan McDonald, Savannah Bradley, Albina Mikhaylova, Ph.D , Fatima Rehman, Ph.D Department of Biology, Material Science & Engineering Facility (MSERF), University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL 3224 INTRODUCTION HYPOTHESIS Saffron was expected to have antitumor activity in MDA468 breast carcinoma cells METHODS Saffron decreases cell viability in a time and dose dependent manner Saffron induces marked reduction in tumorigenicity of MDA468 cells Increasing saffron concentration causes a decrease in breast cancer cell invasion potential CONCLUSIONS • Increasing concentrations of saffron cause a decrease in cell motility • Cell viability decreases as saffron concentration increases. • Cell invasion potential decreases as saffron concentrations increase. • Saffron causes a decrease in tumorgenicity. FUTURE DIRECTIONS AKNOWLEDGMENTS Increasing saffron results in a decrease in cell motility and invasion potential Figure 5A) The reduction of cell projections in a time dependent manner after the addition of Saffron as shown by video produced by Q-Phase. 5B) Comparison of cells migrated across Boyden chamber membrane with bovine serum albumin (BSA) ss a positive control after 12 hours of saffron treatment. 5C) Comparison of migration distance across scratch wound after 6 hours of treatment. A. B. C. Figure 2A) Comparison of cell confluency at 100x and 400x magnification. 2B) Percentage of normal, stalled, multinucleated, and apoptotic cells between 0-72 hours. 2C) Percentage cell death calculated by trypan blue assay between 24-72 hours. 2D) Percentage fold changes in mass in control and saffron groups as per Q-phase analysis. 2E) Comparison of percentage cellular apoptosis between 24-72 hours. REFERENCES Saffron inhibits growth of MDA468 cells in a dose dependent manner A. B. C. D. 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International Journal of Breast Cancer, 1–7. • Analysis of saffron’s effectiveness against motility, cell viability, cell invasion potential, and tumorgenicity for increased duration of time. • Further exploration of saffron as an alternative therapy for breast cancer carcinoma in an animal model. University of North Florida Biology Department, Material Science & Engineering Facility (MSERF), and a special thanks to Dr. Rehman for her collaboration and guidance in this project. 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 24 48 72 % Cell Death Time (hrs) UT SL SM SH 0 5 10 15 20 25 24 48 72 % Cellular apoptosis Time (hr) UT SL SM SH Treatment Concentration Untreated (UT) 0 ug/ mL Saffron Low (SL) 100 ug/ mL Saffron Medium (SM) 250 ug/mL Saffron High (SL) 500 ug/ mL