Hypericin and resveratrol anti‐tumor impact through <scp>E</scp>‐cadherin, <scp>N</scp>‐cadherin, galectin‐3, and <scp>BAX</scp>/<scp>BCL</scp>‐ratio; possible cancer immunotherapy succor on <scp>Y79</scp> retinoblastoma cells

Abstract One of the detrimental features of retinoblastoma is highly invasiveness of this type of cancer; the ability to metastasize into distal organs even in the early stages. This phenomenon highlights the importance of experiments targeting this characteristic to diminish the disquieting outcomes. In this study we assessed the impact of hypericin, and resveratrol (two main herbal extracts with known anti‐cancer properties on the important metastasis/cancer progression pathways in Y79 retinoblastoma cell line). MTT assay performed for 24 and 48 h, and the kind of cell death, investigated by Annexin V/PI flowcytometry. Finally, the expression of important metastatic/apoptotic genes assessed in different samples by the aid of real‐time PCR. The 24 and 48 h IC50 for resveratrol, and hypericin was about 10.87 and 7.697, 2.267, and 1.732 μg/mL, respectively. Flowcytometry results revealed that the kind cell death after treatment of Y79 cell with both compounds was mostly apoptosis. Both compounds induced up‐regulation of E‐cad, and down‐regulation of N‐cad, and Gal‐3; furthermore, BAX/BCL‐2 ratio increased significantly in cells treated with hypericin. Hypericin seems to exert more cytotoxicity effect on Y79 cells compared with resveratrol. As both compounds enhanced the expression of the E‐cadherin, along with the decreasing the galectin‐3, they can be proposed as beneficial accompanying reagents in cancer immunotherapy.