Apoptosis, DNA damage, and cell cycle arrest: The anticancer mechanisms of quercetin in human cervix epithelioid carcinoma cells
Sabiha Fatima, Muthukala Borappa, Sivakumari Kanakarajan, Rajesh Selvaraj, Nikhat Jamal Siddiqi, Samina Wasi, Abdulaziz Siyal, Nidhi Patel, Preeti Sharma · International Journal of Health Sciences · 2025
Objectives The objectives of the study are to investigate the anti-cancer properties of quercetin, a widely distributed phytochemical, and assess its potential as a chemopreventive and therapeutic agent for cervical cell carcinoma. Methods The study employed cell viability assays for cytotoxicity, flow cytometry for cell cycle arrest, comet assays for DNA damage, nuclear morphology to assess apoptosis, and Western blotting to measure caspase 3 expression, a key apoptosis-related marker. Results Notably, a significantly lower half-maximal inhibitory concentration (25.5 μM) at 48 h compared to 24 h highlights the time-dependent nature of quercetin’s cytotoxic effects. Quercetin significantly (P < 0.001) inhibited human cervix epithelioid carcinoma (HeLa) cell viability compared to the control group, indicating its cytotoxic potential. Morphological changes observed in quercetin-treated cells further supported its cytotoxic effects. Quercetin-induced substantial increase in the percentage of cells in the sub-G0/G1 phase relative to controls (P < 0.001) reveals cell cycle arrest and the initiation of apoptosis. In addition, quercetin caused notable DNA damage, as evidenced by the significant increase (P < 0.001) in the comet tail length, highlighting the genotoxic effects of quercetin. Moreover, quercetin treatment significantly (P < 0.001) upregulated the expression of caspase-3, suggesting the activation of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Conclusion The findings of the current study suggest that quercetin can effectively inhibit HeLa cell viability, induce cell cycle arrest, promote DNA damage, and activate caspase-mediated apoptosis. This underscores quercetin’s therapeutic potential against cervical cancer and highlights caspase-mediated apoptosis as a promising strategy. Prolonged exposure may further enhance its efficacy, offering valuable insights into its potential for long-term cancer treatment.