Reversal of resistance to adriamycin in human breast cancer cell line MCF-7/ADM by beta-elemene.
- Author:
Jun HU
1
;
Wei JIN
;
Pei-man YANG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; pharmacology; Breast Neoplasms; metabolism; pathology; Cell Line, Tumor; Curcuma; chemistry; Doxorubicin; metabolism; pharmacology; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; drug effects; Female; Humans; Plants, Medicinal; chemistry; Sesquiterpenes; isolation & purification; pharmacology
- From: Chinese Journal of Oncology 2004;26(5):268-270
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo study the reversal mechanism of adriamycin (ADM) resistance in human breast cancer cell line MCF-7/ADM by beta-elemene (beta-ELE), a wide spectrum anticancer drug derived from the Chinese herb Curcuma chaeocaulis.
METHODSSensitivity to ADM of MCF-7/ADM cells was studied by MTT assay. Intracellular accumulation of ADM in MCF-7/ADM cells was observed by fluorescent-spectrophotometry. Expression of bcl-2 protein was detected by flow cytometry.
RESULTSA non-cytotoxic dose (6 micro g/ml) and a weakly cytotoxic dose (13 micro g/ml) of beta-ELE could significantly enhance the cytotoxic effects of ADM on MCF-7/ADM cells to 1.4 and 2.2 fold as compared to the beta-ELE untreated control cells. The intracellular concentration of ADM in MCF-7/ADM cells was significantly increased after treatment with beta-ELE (P < 0.01). The expression of bcl-2 protein in MCF-7/ADM cells was reduced from 90.2% to 70.0% (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONbeta-ELE could partially reverse the drug resistance to ADM in MCF-7/ADM, which is related to the increased accumulation of intracellular ADM and the decreased expression of bcl-2.
