ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the effect of cowanin the mechanism of cowanin toward cell death and BCL-2 protein (antiapoptotic) expression of T47D breast cancer. METHODS: The cell death was evaluated by double staining, namely acridine orange and propidium iodide, and then observed under a fluorescence microscope. Meanwhile, the BCL-2 protein expression was determined by western blotting with measurement of protein area and protein density. RESULTS: The result found T47D breast cancer cells were viable, apoptosis, and necrosis after treatment with cowanin. The average viable cells, apoptosis, and necrosis percentages were 54.13â¯%, 45.43â¯%, and 0.44â¯%, respectively. Statistical analysis showed cowanin could significantly induce death in T47D breast cancer cells by apoptosis (p<0.05). It was also revealed that cowanin and positive control (doxorubicin) treatment had a significantly decreased protein area and protein density (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that cowanin can induce death in T47D breast cancer cells by apoptosis and affect the expression of Bcl-2 protein in T47D breast cancer cells.