Resveratrol-induced cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cells is mediated by p53 activation.

<p>Effects of resveratrol on p53 and MDM2 protein levels (A) and on p53 mRNA levels (B) in MCF-7 cells. The cells were exposed to various concentrations of resveratrol or DMSO (0.5%) for 24 h. The protein levels were determined by western blotting analysis as described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0048746#s2" target="_blank">Materials and Methods</a>. GAPDH expression was used as a control. In panels A and B the data represent 3–5 independent experiments, and the band intensities are graphically represented with each group of images. (C) MCF-7 cell viability in the presence of the p53-specific inhibitor pifithrin-α. The cells were exposed to 30 µM pifithrin for 1 h prior to treatment with various <i>trans</i>-resveratrol concentrations (50–200 µM). The cell viability was measured by the MTT assay. The results (n = 3) are expressed as a % of the control, and the data shown are mean ± S.E.M. *<i>p</i><0.05 in comparison with the respective control (Student's <i>t</i>-test).