<i>Pereskia bleo</i> augments NK cell cytotoxicity against triple-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231)

ELISA data indicated that MEPB at 7.5 µg/ml significantly increased the expression of IFN-<i>γ</i>, IL-12, IL-18, perforin, and granzyme B while decreasing IL-8 and IL-10 expression after 20 hrs of incubation. The average NK cell purity was 87.09 ± 0.043%. Breast cancer patients exhibited lower NK cell counts than healthy donors. Co-culture experiments demonstrated that NK cells induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells in the presence of MEPB by increasing perforin, granzyme B, and IFN-<i>γ</i> expression in both healthy donors and breast cancer patients-experimental groups. <i>P. bleo</i> enhances NK cell activation, promoting the apoptosis of triple-negative human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), suggesting the potential use of MEPB leaves as an anti-cancer immunostimulant.