Inhibitory Effects of Pectinase‐Treated Prunus Mume Fruit Concentrate on Colorectal Cancer Proliferation and Angiogenesis of Endothelial Cells

Pectinase is a well‐known enzyme used in the food processing industry to produce fruit juice and concentrate. This study evaluated the anticancer and antiangiogenesis activities of pectinase‐treated Prunus mume fruit concentrate (PC) and its phenolic components. PC treatment (250 to 1,000 µg/mL) resulted in decreased proliferation of SW480 human colorectal cancer cells through S‐phase cell cycle arrest; however, equivalent concentrations of PC did not show toxicity toward CRL‐1539 colon normal cells. Furthermore, PC‐induced caspase‐dependent apoptosis in SW480 cells, which was characterized by accumulation of apoptotic cell population, cell shrinkage, formation of apoptotic bodies, upregulation of proapoptotic Bax, cleaved PARP, caspase‐3, caspase‐8, and caspase‐9, and downregulation of antiapoptotic Bcl‐2. Antiangiogenesis effects of PC were assessed using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). We found that PC did not inhibit HUVECs proliferation at concentrations of 500 to 1,500 µg/mL. In addition, treatment with PC at nontoxic concentrations (500 to 1,000 µg/mL) blocked vascular endothelial growth factor induced cell migration, invasion, capillary‐like tube formation, and angiogenesis from rat aortic rings. HPLC‐PDA analysis showed that there were at least four different phenolics including 5‐HMF, neochlorogenic acid, protocatechuic acid, and syringic acid. Taken together, these results indicated that PC could be used as a good source of phenolic compounds with selective anticancer and antiangiogenesis activities. Practical Application Pectinases are one of the well‐known enzyme used in the part of food processing. Treatment of pectinase is a useful strategy to reduce viscosity, turbidity, and pulp particles in the production of fruit juice, extract, and concentrate. In the present study, we found that pectinase‐treated P. mume fruit concentrate significantly suppresses colorectal cancer proliferation and angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The significance of our findings is that pectinase‐treated P. mume concentrate may be used as a commercial functional food material to inhibit colorectal cancer and angiogenesis.