Isolation of strawberry anthocyanin-rich fractions and their mechanisms of action against murine breast cancer cell lines

The aim of this study was the evaluation of the effects of strawberry anthocyanin extract treatment on two in vitro models of murine breast cancer cell lines, in an attempt to detect a specific pathway (AMP-activated protein kinase or AMPK) through which strawberries exert their anticancer activity. The anticancer activity of purified anthocyanin extracts from an Alba cultivar on two murine cancer cell lines, N202/1A (with high levels of the HER2/neu oncogene) and N202/1E (with low levels of the HER2/neu oncogene), was evaluated after 48 and 72 h of treatment. The cell viability and apoptosis, intracellular ROS rates, and cell oxidative damage were assessed. Western blot assays were performed to analyze the expression of several proteins related to apoptosis, autophagy, metastasis, the oxidative status, mitochondrial functionality, and the AMPK pathway. This study demonstrated that the anthocyanin extract of Alba strawberry shows an antiproliferative effect on cancer cells, through the induction of apoptosis and oxidative stress, by stimulating different molecular pathways. This study is one of the first studies that have tried to deepen the understanding of a candidate pathway for the explanation of the effects of strawberry on cancer cells. A relationship between the AMPK pathway and the anticancer effects of strawberries was demonstrated.