Induction of S-phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in HeLa cells by small RNAs fraction of Solanum tuberosum L.

INTRODUCTION: In cancer therapeutics, several new classes of small molecules based targeted drug options are reported including peptide mimetic and small RNAs therapeutics. Small RNAs represent a class of short non-coding endogenous RNAs that plays an important role in transcriptional and post transcriptional gene regulation among varied type of species including plants and animals.

METHODS: To address the role of small RNAs from plant sources upon cancer cells, authors report on effects of small RNAs fraction of potato in vitro model of human derived HeLa cancer cells. This paper reports the anti-proliferative and anti-survival effect of small RNAs fraction of S. tuberosum L. (potato) tuber tissue. Here, authors employed small RNAs fractionation protocol, cell viability, cell cytotoxicity MTT, PI stained cell cycle analysis and FITC-Annexin-V/PI stained apoptosis assays.

RESULLTS: In this paper, small RNAs fractions of potato clearly indicate the 40-50% inhibition of HeLa cell proliferation and viability. Interestingly, flow cytometer data point out appreciable increase from 7% to 14% of S-phase in HeLa cells by displaying the presence of S-phase cell cycle arrest. Further, arrest in S-phase of HeLa cells is also supported by observations that appreciable increase in total <2N plus >4N DNA containing HeLa cells over 2N containing HeLa cells. For apoptotic assay, data suggest the significant increase in apoptotic HeLa cells from (5%) control treated HeLa cells to (18%) small RNAs treated HeLa cells.

CONCLUSION: Taken together, findings suggest that small RNAs fractions of potato can induce S-phase cell cycle arrest and these agents can act as an anti-proliferative agent in HeLa cells. This paper proposes a huge scope for novel finding to dissect out the small RNAs target within HeLa cells and other cancer cell types.