Apigenin impedes cell cycle progression at G2 phase in prostate cancer cells

As a natural flavone, apigenin is abundantly present in vegetables, fruits, oregano, tea, chamomile, wheat sprout and is regarded as a major component of the Mediterranean diet. Apigenin is known to inhibit proliferation in different cancer cell lines by inducing G₂/M arrest, but it is unclear whether this action is predominantly imposed on G₂ or M phases. In this study, we demonstrate that apigenin arrests prostate cancer cells at G₂ phase by flow cytometric analysis of prostate cancer cells co-stained for phospho-Histone H3 and DNA. Concurrently, apigenin also reduces the mRNA and protein levels of the key regulators that govern G₂-M transition. Further analysis using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) confirmed the diminished transcriptional activities of the genes coding for these regulators. Unravelling the inhibitory effect of apigenin on G₂-M transition in cancer cells provides the mechanistic understanding of its action and supports the potential for apigenin as an anti-cancer agent. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]