Inhibitory Effects of Naringenin, Kaempherol, and Apigenin on Cholesterol Biosynthesis in HepG2 and MCF-7 Cells

The inhibitory effects of naringenin, kaempherol, and apigenin on the production of cholesterol in HepG2 KCLB 88065 and MCF-7 KCLB 30022 cells were evaluated. In this study, quercetin was used as a reference reagent. After incubation for 3 days, fat-soluble contents of both cell types were extracted by using the Folch method and the cholesterol contents in both cultured cells were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The concentration of cholesterol in untreated each tissue cells was $12.2{\pm}0.11$ and $8.83{\pm}0.12\;mg/g$ of lipid, respectively. The total concentration of each flavonoid was adjusted to 0, 35, or $350{\mu}M$ in the culture broth. As the results, the addition of 2% methanol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to the media (control for flavonoid solvents) did not significantly affect cell growth; however, DMSO caused an increase in the production of cholesterol. Each flavonoid inhibited the production of cholesterol in both HepG2 and MCF-7 cells at the concentration of $35{\mu}M$ above. In addition, the inhibitory effect of kaempherol on the production of cholesterol in these cells was greater than the other flavonoids tested and HepG2 cells are more sensitive to flavonoids than MCF-7. From the results, the inhibitory effects of flavonoids on cholesterol production are different depending on the cell type.