Naringenin has a chemoprotective effect in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells via inhibition of caspase-3 and -9 activities.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-associated mortality in females. It has an incidence of 1.3 million per year, which increases by 2% annually. In China, breast cancer accounts for 12.2% of all cancer cases. The aim of the present study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of naringenin on triple-negative breast cancer cells. Lactate dehydrogenase and MTT assay was used to investigate the inhibitory effect of naringenin on MDA-MB-231 cell viability. Naringenin reduced the viability of MDA-MB-231 cells by arresting the cell cycle at the G₂ phase. Naringenin treatment not only influenced the phase of cell cycle arrest, but also induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Naringenin treatment also resulted in a significant increase in caspase-3 and caspase-9 activity (P<0.001). Taken together, the results of the present study suggested that naringenin caused an inhibitory effect on MDA-MB-231 cells via induction of apoptosis and inhibition of caspase-3 and -9 activity.