• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.232-239
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• 2018

Human breast milk (HBM) provides neonates with indispensable nutrition. The present study evaluated the anti-cancer activity of diluted and pasteurized early HBM (< 6 weeks' lactation) on human breast cancer cell lines. The cell lines MCF7 and MDA-MB231 were exposed to 1 % HBM from the 1st, 3rd, and 6th weeks of lactation and exhibited reduced proliferation rates. As controls, breast cell lines (293T and MCF-10A), breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231), and $CD133^{hi}CXCR4^{hi}ALDH1^{hi}$ patient-derived human cancer stem-like cells (KU-CSLCs) were treated with prominent milk proteins ${\beta}$-casein, ${\kappa}$-casein, and lactoferrin at varying doses (10, 50, and $100{\mu}g$) for 24 or 48 hrs. The impact of these proteins on cell proliferation was investigated. Breast cancer cell lines treated with ${\kappa}$-casein and lactoferrin exhibited significantly reduced viability, in both a dose- and time-dependent manner. Interestingly, ${\kappa}$-casein selectively impacted only cancer (but not normal breast) cell lines, particularly the more malignant cell line. However, ${\beta}$-casein-exposed human breast cancer cell lines exhibited a significantly higher proliferation rate. Thus, ${\kappa}$-casein and lactoferrin appear to exert selective anti-cancer activities. Further studies are warranted to determine the mechanisms underlying ${\kappa}$-casein- and lactoferrin-mediated cancer cell-selective cytotoxic effects.

• Journal of Breast Disease
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.39-45
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• 2018

Purpose: Dieckol, a phlorotannin compound isolated from Ecklonia cava, has been reported to have antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate its anticancer effects on human breast cancer cell lines. Methods: In this study, the viability of two human breast cancer cell lines SK-BR-3 and MCF-7 was investigated after dieckol treatment using a WST-1 assay. Apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were assayed via Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate and propidium iodide staining followed by flow cytometric analysis. Immunoblotting analysis was also performed using Bax/Bcl-2 to determine whether the dieckol-induced apoptosis was mediated by the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Results: In a dose dependent manner, dieckol reduced the number of viable cells and increased the number of apoptotic cells. The effect of dieckol on the cell cycle distribution was analyzed using flow cytometry. Dieckol treatment significantly increased the percentage of MCF-7 and SK-BR-3 in the G2/M phase. Immunoblot analysis revealed that 24 hours of dieckol exposure increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Conclusion: Dieckol induced cytotoxicity in MCF-7 and SK-BR-3 human breast cancer cells inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Therefore, it is suggested that dieckol may be a potential therapeutic agent for breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.18
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• pp.7553-7558
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• 2014

The Piwi subfamily comprises two argonaute (Ago) family proteins, which are defined by the presence of PAZ and Piwi domains, with well known roles in RNA silencing. Hiwi, a human Piwi subfamily member, has been shown to play essential roles in stem cell self-renewal and gametogenesis. Recently, accumulating reports have indicated that abnormal hiwi expression is associated with poorer prognosis of multiple types of human cancers, including examples in the breast. However, little is known about details of the oncogenic role of hiwi in breast cancers. In present study, we confirmed overexpression of hiwi in breast cancer specimens and breast cancer cell lines at both mRNA and protein levels. Thus both RT-qPCR and Western blot data revealed significantly higher hiwi in intratumor than peritumor specimens, overexpression being associated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis and histological grade. Hiwi overexpression was also identified in breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7, and gain-of-function and loss-of-function strategies were adopted to identify the role of hiwi in the MCF-7 cell growth. Results demonstrated that hiwi expression in MCF-7 cells was significantly up- or down-regulated by the two strategies. We next evaluated the influence of hiwi overexpression or knockdown on the growth of breast cancer cells. Both cell count and colony formation assays confirmed promoting roles of hiwi in MCF-7 cells, which could be inhibited by hiwi specific blockage by siRNAs. In summary, the present study confirmed overexpression of hiwi in breast cancer specimens and breast cancer cell lines, and provided e vidence of promotion by hiwi of cell growth. The results imply an oncogenic role of hiwi in breast cancers.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.503-510
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• 2013

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women, both in the developed and developing countries. Anthocyanins are natural coloring of a multitude of foods, such as berries, grapes or cherries. Glycosides of the aglycons delphinidin represent the most abundant anthocyanins in fruits. Delphinidin has recently been reported to inhibit the growth of human tumor cell line. Also, delphinidin is a powerful antioxidant that reportedly exerts beneficial effects in patients with advanced cancer by reducing the level of reactive oxygen species and increasing glutathion peroxidase activity. This study investigates the effects of delphinidin on protein ErbB2, ErbB3 and Akt expressions associated with cell proliferation and Bcl-2, Bax protein associated with cell apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell line. MDA-MB-231 cells were cultured with various concentrations (0, 5, 10, and $20{\mu}mol/L$) of delphinidin. Delphinidin inhibited breast cancer cell growth in a dose dependent manner (p < 0.05). ErbB2 and ErbB3 expressions were markdly lower $5{\mu}mol/L$ delphinidin (p < 0.05). In addition, total Akt and phosphorylated Akt levels were decreased dose-dependently in cells treated with delphinidin (p < 0.05). Futher, Bcl-2 levels were dose-dependently decreased and Bax expression was significantly increased in cells treated with delphinidin (p < 0.05). In conclusion, I have shown that delphinidin inhibits cell growth, proliferation and induces apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.448-451
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• 2006

Chemopreventive and cytotoxic effect of genistein against human breast cancer cell lines was investigated. Genistein inhibited cell proliferation in estrogen receptor-positive (MCF-7) and estrogen receptor-negative (MDA-MB-231) human breast carcinoma cell lines. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1-mediated ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity was inhibited by genistein in a concentrationdependent manner. Genistein significantly inhibited 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced cyclooxy-genase-2 activity and protein expression at the concentrations of 10 (p < 0.05), 25 (p < 0.05) and 50 mM (p < 0.01). In addition, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity was reduced to 53.8 % of the control after 6 h treatment with 50 mM genistein in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. These results suggest that genistein could be of therapeutic value in preventing human breast cancer.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.671-676
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• 2006

We investigated the effect of gingerol (Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Zingiberaceae) on Bcl-2 and Bax expression in MDA-MB-231 human breast cell lines. The oleoresin from rhizomes of ginger contains [6]-gingerol (1-[4'-hydroxy-3'-methoxyphenyl]-5-hydroxy-3-decanone). We previously reported that [6]-gingerol inhibits cell proliferation in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines. In this study, we examined protein and mRNA expression associated with cell apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines. We cultured MDA-MB-231 cells in presence of various concentrations 0, 2.5, 5 and $10\;{\mu}M$ of [6]-gingerol. Bcl-2 protein and its mRNA levels were decreased dose-dependently in cells treated with [6]-gingerol, but Bax protein and its mRNA levels were unchanged by [6]-gingerol treatment. Bcl-2/Bax ratio was decreased in a dose dependent manner treated with [6]-gingerol. Caspase-3 activity was significantly increased dose-dependently in cell treated with [6]-gingerol (p<0.05). In conclusion, we have shown that [6]-gingerol induces apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.140.1-140.1
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• 2003

Permanent cell culture lines derived from human cancer tissue are important experimental models in the study of human cancer cell proliferation. The in vitro effects of C. militaris and its extracted fractions on the human breast cancer (SK-BR3), liver cancer (SK-Hep1, HepG2), kidney cancer (p15), lymphoma (Jurkat) were studied. F1 (CCCA, crude cordycepin containing adenosine), F2 (ethanol precipitation), F3 (ethanol soluble supernatant) and F4 (fraction of through SK-1B) significantly stimulated in vitro cytotoxic in human cancer cell lines. (omitted)

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.2179-2183
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• 2014

Background: In vitro, in vivo and clinical studies have demonstrated anti-cancer effects of deuterium depleted water (DDW). The nature of this agents action, cytotoxic or cytostatic, remains to be elucidated. We here aimed to address the point by examining effects on different cell lines. Materials and Methods: 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) -based cytotoxicity analysis was conducted for human breast, stomach, colon, prostate cancer and glioblastoma multiforme cell lines as well as human dermal fibroblasts. The cell lines were treated with decreasing deuterium concentrations of DDW alone, paclitaxel alone and both. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for statistical analysis. Results: Treatment with different deuterium concentrations of DDW alone did not impose any significant inhibitory effects on growth of cell lines. Paclitaxel significantly decreased the survival fractions of all cell lines. DDW augmented paclitaxel inhibitory effects on breast, prostate, stomach cancer and glioblastoma cell lines, with influence being more pronounced in breast and prostate cases. Conclusions: DDW per se does not appear to have inhibitory effects on the assessed tumor cell lines as well as normal fibroblasts. As an adjuvant, however, DDW augmented inhibitory effects of paclitaxel and thus it could be considered as an adjuvant to conventional anticancer agents in future trials.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.51-66
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• 2004

Retinoids, better known as vitamin A, have been reported to inhibit the growth of several breast cancer cell lines in culture and to reduce breast tumor growth in animal models. Furthermore, retinoids can augment the action of other breast cancer cell growth inhibitors both in vitro and in vivo. Clinically, interest has increased in the potential use of retinoids for the prevention and treatment of human breast cancer. We have examine the effect of all-trans retinoic acid(tRA) and 9-cis retinoic acid(9-cis RA) on human breast cancer cell(MCF-10A, T47-D, MCF-7) proliferation using MTT assay and cell cycle analysis(FACS). Overexpression of cyclin D1 protein is observed in the majority of breast cancers, suggesting that dysregulated expression of cyclin D1 might be a critical event in breast cancer carcinogenesis. We investigated whether tRA and 9-cis RA might affect expression of cyclin D1 on human breast cancer cells(MCF-10A, T47-D, MCF-7) using RT-PCR and west-ern bolt. In MCF-10A cells, either tRA or 9-cis RA treatment did not affect the cell proliferation. In T47-D cells and MCF-7 cells, either tRA or 9-cis RA treatment showed the inhibition of the cell proliferation over control cells and also inhibit the estrogen stimulated cell proliferation when it was given together with estrogen. The effect of retinoids was dose- and time- dependent. T47-D cells treated with 1.0 $\muM$ tRA undergo G0/G1-phase arrest by Day 5. MCF-7 cells treated with 1.0 $\muM$ tRA undergo S-phase arrest by Day 5. All-trans retinoic acid(tRA) and 9-cis retinoic acid(9-cis RA) inhibited the cyelin D1 mRNA and protein expression levels of human MCF-7 and T47-D breast carcinoma cells in vitro. The data indicate that retinoids can reduce cyclin D1 expression levels in a variety of breast cell lines in vitro and result in inhibition of cell proliferation. tRA-mediated growth inhibition and cyclin D1 expression inhibition is more potent than 9-cis RA mediated that. tRA-mediated inhibition effect is more potent on T47-D cells than on MCF-7 cells. Our data suggest that retinoids activity is different according to property of cell lines. Future chemoprevention of breast cancer studies using retinoids will be necessary to determine the mechanism of the retinoids-mediated growth inhibition.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.195-200
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• 2013

Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteines-like protein 1 (SPARCL1), an extracellular matrix glycoprotein, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several disorders including cancer. However, little is known about the expression and significance of SPARCL1 in human breast cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the expression pattern and clinicopathological significance of SPARCL1 in a Chinese breast cancer cohort. mRNA and protein expression of SPARCL1 in human breast cancer cell lines and breast cancer tissues was detected using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, real-time quantitative PCR, and Western blotting, respectively. Immunostaining of SPARCL1 in 282 Chinese breast cancer samples was examined and associations with clinicopathological parameters were analyzed. Compared to the positive expression in immortalized human breast epithelial cells, SPARCL1 was nearly absent in human breast cancer cell lines. Similarly, a significantly reduced expression of SPARCL1 was observed in human breast cancer tissues compared to that in normal breast epithelial tissues, for both mRNA and protein levels (P < 0.001). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that strong cytoplasmic immunostaining of SPARCL1 was observed in almost all normal breast samples (43/45) while moderate and strong immunostaining of SPARCL1 was only detected in 191 of 282 (67.7%) breast cancer cases. Moreover, down-regulation of SPARCL1 was significantly correlated with lymphatic metastasis (P = 0.020) and poor grade (P = 0.044). In conclusion, SPARCL1 may be involved in the breast tumorigenesis and serve as a promising target for therapy of breast cancer.