The effect of multiflora honey from Southeastern Anatolia on pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic pathways in MDA-MB-231 cell line

Purpose: Honey is increasingly recognized for its medicinal and nutritional benefits, including its anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-ulcer, and anti-tumor properties. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Anatolian honey (Southeast Anatolia) on the expression of pro-apoptotic genes and chemotactic molecules in breast cancer cells. Materials and Methods: The IC50 concentration of Anatolian honey, determined to be 2.7% (w/v) at 48 hours, was used for treatment. Gene expression analysis was performed using the SYBR Green quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) technique. Results: The expression levels of the pro-apoptotic genes Bax and Caspase-3 increased by 6.05-fold and 2.01-fold, respectively, while the chemotactic molecule CCL2 exhibited a 6.45-fold upregulation. In contrast, CCL5 and CX3CR1 showed minimal changes in expression, with fold changes of 1.04 and 1.11, respectively. Anatolian honey promoted apoptosis by increasing Bax and Cas3 expression. Additionally, the elevated CCL2 expression suggests a potential role in recruiting monocytes and facilitating their differentiation into macrophages within the tumor microenvironment. Conclusion: Anatolian honey exhibits pro-apoptotic and immunomodulatory effects in breast cancer cells by upregulating Bax, Cas3, and CCL2 expression. These findings highlight its potential as a complementary therapeutic agent.