• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제16권18호
• /
• pp.8299-8305
• /
• 2016

Background: In Egypt, breast cancer is estimated to be the most common cancer among females. It is also a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Use of circulating cell-free DNA (ccf-DNA) as non-invasive biomarkers is a promising tool for diagnosis and follow-up of breast cancer (BC) patients. Objective: To assess the role of circulating cell free DNA (nuclear and mitochondrial) in diagnosing BC. Materials and Methods: Multiplex real time PCR was used to detect the level of ccf nuclear and mitochondrial DNA in the peripheral blood of 50 breast cancer patients together with 30 patients with benign lesions and 20 healthy controls. Laboratory investigations, histopathological staging and receptor studies were carried out for the cancer group. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the performance of ccf-nDNA and mtDNA. Results: The levels of both nDNA and mtDNA in the cancer group were significantly higher in comparison to the benign and the healthy control group. There was a statistically significant association between nDNA and mtDNA levels and well established prognostic parameters; namely, histological grade, tumour stage, lymph node status andhormonal receptor status. Conclusions: Our data suggests that nuclear and mitochondrial ccf-DNA may be used as non-invasive biomarkers in BC.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제18권5호
• /
• pp.391-396
• /
• 2014

Although interleukin-11 (IL-11) has been reported to be elevated in hypoxic tumors and has been associated with a poor prognosis in various cancers, little is known about its precise role in promoting metastasis in hypoxic tumors. In the present study, the molecular mechanism underlying the effects of IL-11 on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells migration and invasion in relation to metastasis under hypoxic conditions has been defined. Inhibition of IL-11 expression or function using small interfering RNA (siRNA) or a neutralizing antibody attenuated hypoxic MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell migration and invasion through down-regulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and activation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) related gene expression. In addition, hypoxia-induced IL-11 increased STAT3 phosphorylation and STAT3 knockdown suppressed hypoxic MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell invasion due to reduced MMP levels and reprogrammed EMT-related gene expression. These results suggest that one of the hypoxic metastasis pathways and the regulation of this pathway could be a potential target for novel cancer therapeutics.

• 통합자연과학논문집
• /
• 제15권4호
• /
• pp.153-161
• /
• 2022

c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) are members of MAPK family. Many genes can relay signals that promote inflammation, cell proliferation, or cell death which causes several diseases have been associated to mutations in the JNK gene family. The JNK2 gene is significantly more important in cancer development than the JNK1 and JNK3 genes. There are several different ways in which JNK2 contributes to breast cancer, and one of these is through its role in cell migration. As a result, this study's primary objective was to employ computational strategies to identify promising leads that potentially target the JNK2 protein in a strategy to alleviate breast cancer. We have derived these anticancer compounds from marine brown seaweed called Turbinaria conoides. We have identified compounds Ethane, 1, 1-diethoxy- and Butane, 2-ethoxy as promising anti-cancer drugs by molecular docking, DFT, and ADME study.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제17권5호
• /
• pp.2453-2457
• /
• 2016

Background: Dysregulation of HSP90 gene expression is known to take place in breast cancer. Here we used D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid-polyethylene glycol-17-dimethylaminoethylamino-17-demethoxy geldanamycin (PLGA-PEG-17DMAG) complexes and free 17-DMAG to inhibit the expression of HSP90 gene in the T47D breast cancer cell line. The purpose was to determine whether nanoencapsulating 17DMAG improves the anti-cancer effects as compared to free 17DMAG. Materials and Methods: The T47D breast cancer cell line was grown in RPMI 1640 supplemented with 10% FBS. Encapsulation of 17DMAG was conducted through a double emulsion method and properties of copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Assessment of drug cytotoxicity was by MTT assay. After treatment of T47D cells with a given amount of drug, RNA was extracted and cDNA was synthesized. In order to assess HSP90 gene expression, real-time PCR was performed. Results: Taking into account drug load, IC50 was significant decreased in nanocapsulated 17DMAG in comparison with free 17DMAG. This finding was associated with decrease of HSP90 gene expression. Conclusions: PLGA-PEG-17DMAG complexes can be more effective than free 17DMAG in down-regulating of HSP90 expression, at the saesm time exerting more potent cytotoxic effects. Therefore, PLGA-PEG could be a superior carrier for this type of hydrophobic agent.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• 제20권1호
• /
• pp.81-88
• /
• 2012

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are enzymes involved in the remodelling of chromatin, and have a key role in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are emerging as an exciting new class of potential anti-cancer agents. In recent years, a number of structurally diverse HDAC inhibitors have been identifi ed and these HDAC inhibitors induce growth arrest, differentiation and/or apoptosis of cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed at investigating the anti-tumor activity of various HDAC inhibitors, IN-2001, using T47D human breast cancer cells. Moreover, the possible mechanism by which HDAC inhibitors exhibit anti-tumor activity was also explored. In estrogen receptor positive T47D cells, IN-2001, HDAC inhibitor showed anti-proliferative effects in dose-and time-dependent manner. In T47D human breast cancer cells showed anti-tumor activity of IN-2001 and the growth inhibitory effects of IN-2001 were related to the cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis. Flow cytometry studies revealed that IN-2001 showed accumulation of cells at $G_2$/M phase. At the same time, IN-2001 treatment time-dependently increased sub-$G_1$ population, representing apoptotic cells. IN-2001-mediated cell cycle arrest was associated with induction of cdk inhibitor expression. In T47D cells, IN-2001 as well as other HDAC inhibitors treatment significantly increased $p21^{WAF1}$ and $p27^{KIP1}$ expression. In addition, thymidylate synthase, an essential enzyme for DNA replication and repair, was down-regulated by IN-2001 and other HDAC inhibitors in the T47D human breast cancer cells. In summary, IN-2001 with a higher potency than other HDAC inhibitors induced growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest, and eventual apoptosis in human breast cancer possibly through modulation of cell cycle and apoptosis regulatory proteins, such as cdk inhibitors, cyclins, and thymidylate synthase.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제42권8호
• /
• pp.535-539
• /
• 2009

Voltage-gated $K^+$ (Kv) channels are widely expressed in the plasma membranes of numerous cells such as epithelial cells. Recently, it has been demonstrated that Kv channels are associated with the proliferation of several types of cancer cells. Specifically, Kv1.3 seems to be involved in cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. In the present study, we examined the expression of Kv1.3 in immortalized and tumorigenic human mammary epithelial cells. We also evaluated the expression level of Kv1.3 in each stage of breast cancer using mRNA isolated from breast cancer patients. In addition, treatment with tetraethylammonium, a Kv channel blocker, suppressed tumorigenic human mammary epithelial cell proliferation. Therefore, Kv1.3 may serve as a novel molecular target for breast cancer therapy while its stage-specific expression pattern may provide a potential diagnostic marker for breast cancer development.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제13권11호
• /
• pp.5903-5908
• /
• 2012

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the combined effects of exemestane and aspirin on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Methods: Antiproliferative effects of exemestane and aspirin, alone and in combination, on growth of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells were assessed using the MTT assay. Synergistic interaction between the two drugs was evaluated in vitro using the combination index (CI) method. The cell cycle distribution was analyzed by flow cytometry and Western blotting was used to investigate the expression of cyclooxygenase-1, cyclooxygenase-2 and Bcl-2. Results: MTT assays indicated that combination treatment obviously decreased the viability of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells compared to individual drug treatment (CI<1). In addition, the combination of exemestane and aspirin exhibited a synergistic inhibition of cell proliferation, significantly arrested the cell cycle in the $G_0/G_1$ phase and produced a stronger inhibitory effect on COX-1 and Bcl-2 expression than control or individual drug treatment. Conclusion: These results indicate that the combination of exemestane and aspirin might become a useful method to the treatment of hormone-dependent breast cancer. The combination of the two inhibitors significantly increased the response as compared to single agent treatment, suggesting that combination treatment could become a highly effective approach for breast cancer.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• 제23권1호
• /
• pp.35-39
• /
• 2017

D-chiro-inositol (DCI) is a secondary messenger in insulin signal transduction. It is produced in vivo from myo-inositol via action of epimerase. In this study, we evaluated antitumor activity of DCI against human breast cancer both in vitro and in vivo. In order to determine the inhibitory effects of DCI on growth of human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), two different assessment methods were implemented: MTT assay and mouse xenograft assay. MTT assay demonstrated downturn in cell proliferation by DCI treatment (1, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mM) groups by 18.3% (p < 0.05), 17.2% (p < 0.05), 17.5% (p < 0.05), 18.4% (p < 0.05), and 24.9% (p < 0.01), respectively. Also, inhibition of tumor growth was investigated in mouse xenograft model. DCI was administered orally at the dose of 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg body weight to treat nude mouse for 45 consecutive days. On the 45th day, tumor growth of DCI (500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg) groups was suppressed by 22.1% and 67.6% as mean tumor volumes were $9313.8{\pm}474.1mm^3$ and $3879.1{\pm}1044.1mm^3$, respectively. Furthermore, breast cancer stem cell (CSC) phenotype ($CD44^+/C24^-$) was measured using flow cytometry. On the 46th day, CSC ratios of DCI (500 mg/kg) and co-treatment with doxorubicin (4 mg/kg) and DCI (500 mg/kg) group decreased by 24.7% and 53.9% (p < 0.01), respectively. Finally, from tumor recurrence assay, delay of 5 days in the co-treatment group compared to doxorubicin (4 mg/kg) alone group was observed. Based on these findings, we propose that DCI holds potential as an anti-cancer drug for treatment of breast cancer.

• 대한의생명과학회지
• /
• 제27권1호
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 2021

Cancer stem cells, which are known to drive tumor formation and maintenance, are a major obstacle in the effective treatment of various types of cancer. Trans-membrane glycoprotein mucin 1 antigen and cell surface glycogen CD44 antigen are well-known surface markers of breast cancer cells and breast cancer stem cells, respectively. To effectively treat cancer cells and cancer stem cells, we developed a new drug-encapsulating liposome conjugated with dual-DNA aptamers specific to the surface markers of breast cancer cells and their cancer stem cells. These two aptamer (Apt)-targeted liposomes, which were prepared to encapsulate doxorubicin (Dox), were named "Dual-Apt-Dox". Dual-Apt-Dox is significantly more cytotoxic to both cancer stem cells and cancer cells compared to liposomes lacking the aptamers. Furthermore, we demonstrated the inhibitory efficacy of Dual-Apt-Dox against the experimental lung metastasis of breast cancer stem cells and cancer cells in athymic nude mice. We also showed the potent antitumor effects of dual-aptamer-conjugated liposome systems by targeting cancer cells as well as cancer stem cells. Thus, our data indicate that dual-aptamer-conjugated liposome systems can prove to be effective drug delivery vehicles for breast cancer therapy.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• 제1권2호
• /
• pp.220-226
• /
• 1996

To investigate the effect of long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on breast cancer cell growth, estrogen-dependent MCF-7 human breast cancer cells were cultured serum-free DMEM media containing 0.5$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml of differnet kinds of fatty acids; linoleic acid(LA), arachidonic acid(AA), eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid acid(DHA) and 1, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5and 1.0ng/ml 17$\beta$-estradiol as well as 10$\mu\textrm{g}$/mi insulin and 1.25 mg/ml delipidized bovine serum albumin for 3 days. Cell growth monitored by MTT assay was lower in DHA and EPA treatments as compared to LA treatment, but not with AA treatment. Estrogen concentrations at which cell growth was initially stimulated were 0.1ng/ml for LA and DHA treatments and 0.2ng/ml for EPA and AA treatments, but the degree of stimulation was 25~30% lower in DHA and EPA treatments than in LA treatment. Fatty acid analysis showed that each fatty acid in culture medium was well incoporated into celluar lipid. Protein kinase C activity of cells was most elevated in LA treatment from 2 to 8 hours of culture followed by DHA, EPA, and AA treatments. It is concluded that inhibitions of n-3 DHA and EPA on breast cancer cell growth as compard with n-6 LA is mediated via changes in membrane fatty acid composition reducing estrogen sensitivity and increasing protein kinase C activity.