Inhibition of nuclear factor-kappaB, cyclooxygenase-2, and metalloproteinase-9 expression by flavanols from evening primrose (Oenothera paradoxa) in human colon cancer SW-480 cells

The present study examines the chemical composition of an evening primrose flavanol preparation (EPFP) and its chemopreventive activity in colon cancer SW-480 cells. EPFP was found to inhibit SW-480 cell viability by 67% vs. controls at 150 mu M catechin equivalents (CE) following 72 h incubation (IC50 = 65 mu M CE). EPFP decreased both NF-kappa B protein expression (33% vs. control at 100 mu M CE) and phosphorylation at serine 529 of the p65 subunit (49% vs. control at 100 mu M CE) in SW-480 cells. Moreover, 100 mu M CE EPFP sup-pressed COX-2 mRNA expression to 23% of control values and protein expression to 78%. In addition, EPFP reduced MMP-9 protein expression to 24% vs. controls at 100 mu M CE. These results provide the first evidence that EPFP reduces NF-kappa B, COX-2, and MMP-9 expression, which may suggest it has cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-metastatic activities towards colon cancer cells. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.