Cytotoxic effect of Leurius quinquestratus (scorpion) venom in different human cancer cell lines in vitro

Purpose: In this study, the cytotoxicity of scorpion Leurius quinquestratus crude venom (LQCV) was evaluated in vitro in selected human cancer cell lines. Methods: Breast (MCF-7), hepatocellular (HepG-2), colon (CaCo-2), cervix (HeLa) and alveolar (A-549) adenocarcinoma cell lines were tested. MTT assay and median inhibition concentration (IC50), apoptotic assay, caspase 3, P53, Bcl-2 proteins and cell cycle were determined. Results: 24 hrs post-treatment, CaCo-2 represented the most sensitive cell line (IC50 of 4.12 μg/mL). Due to the exposure to 1/10 IC50 of LQCV, the percentage of the apoptotic cells, caspase 3, and P53 proteins were increased significantly (P<0.05) while Bcl-2 was decreased in comparison to untreated cells. Treatment with LQCV induced cell cycle arrest at G1 and G2/M phases. Conclusion: LQCV displays potent cytotoxicity against selected human cell lines in vitro. Thus, the material could become a potent agent for the management of some cancers.