Journal des biomarqueurs moléculaires et du diagnostic

The Effects of Thymoquinone on Inhibiting the Expression of SENP1 Gene in the MCF-7 Cell Lines

Abstract

Neda Shaghaghi, Farzaneh Sabouni, Reza Mohammadzadeh and Maryam Kheyrollah

SUMOylation, as post-translational modifications, plays essential roles in various biological functions including cell growth and migration, stress response, and tumorigenesis. In SUMOylation, SENP1 catalyzes the SUMO protein maturation to combine with target proteins. Breast cancer is a common malignancy in women and also SENP1 progression is high in this cancer. Thymoquinone is a biologically active substance and a secondary metabolite found in the black seed, and recent researches indicate antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and other important biological activities. The effects and mechanisms of Thymoquinone on SENP1 are not well studied. For this purpose, the first MCF-7 tumor cell line and normal MCF-10A cell line were cultured in normal conditions and then treated with specific doses of thymoquinone. The lethal activity was evaluated by MTT assay and exhibited that the toxicity of thymoquinone on MCF-7 cell line was higher than healthy cell and the intensity of its effect was different from MCF-10A cell. Then SENP1 gene expressions were measured. Gene expression changes in tumor cells were then compared with normal cells and it was found that thymoquinone was able to reduce SENP1 gene expression in the tumor cells. Then docking of Thymoquinone with SENP1 protein was performed. The amount of binding energy between Thymoquinone and protein SENP1 is -54 and with dimer of Thymoquinone is -80. Based on what researchers have concluded in this study, it is possible that the mentioned gene and SENP1 Protease can be considered as a candidate for breast cancer treatment and drug target.