Olive oil varieties cultivated in Morocco reduce reactive oxygen species and cell viability of human cervical cancer cells

BACKGROUND: The Moroccan diet incorporates olive oil as the primary source of fat and may reduce cancer risk. However, different olive oil varieties often have varying levels of anti-cancer polyphenols and thus have unique biologic effects. OBJECTIVE: The anti-cancer activity of five varieties of extra virgin Moroccan-cultivated olive oil on human cervical cancer cells was assessed in vitro. METHODS: The presence of phenolic compounds in five olive oil varieties cultivated in Morocco was analyzed using HPLC. Human cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa, SKG-II, and HCS-2) were incubated with the olive oils and cell viability was measured by MTT assay, reactive oxygen species were measured using the CellRox assay, and gene expression was measured by RT-PCR. RESULTS: Each of the five Moroccan-cultivated olive oil varieties had a unique composition of phenolic compounds. Incubation with the olive oils reduced cell viability and reactive oxygen species in human cervical cancer cells. The expression of genes involved in cervical cancer carcinogenesis and cell cycle were also altered. All five olive oil varieties decreased expression of E6, E7, p16, p63, and NRP2 and increased expression of IVL and miR 331-3p. CONCLUSIONS: Use of Moroccan-cultivated olive oils could be a promising anti-cancer agent for cervical cancer.