Potential anticancer effects of polyphenols from chestnut shells extracts: modulation of cell growth, and cytokinomic and metabolomic profile

In this study, an hydroalcoholic chestnut shell extract was characterized and tested on six different human cell lines. Gallic, ellagic and syringic acids were the most abundant non condensed compounds in the chestnut extract, as determined by HPLC. Tannins were mainly represented by condensed monomeric units of epigallocatechin and catechin/epicatechin. After 48 h of treatment, only the human hepatoblastoma HepG2 cells reached an inhibition corresponding to IC50 with an increase of apoptosis and mitochondrial depolarization. The cytokinome evaluation before and after treatment revealed that the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and the Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-? decreased after the treatment suggesting a potential anti-angiogenic and anti-inflammatory effect of this extract. Moreover, the metabolome evaluation by 1H-NMR evidenced that the PECS treatment affected the levels of some amino acids and other metabolites. Overall, these data highlight the effects of biomolecules on cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle and mitochondrial depolarization, and on cytokinomics and metabolomics profile.