title: Induction of apoptosis in human breast cancer cells by tocopherols and tocotrienols.
abstract: The apoptosis-inducing properties of RRR-alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-tocopherols, alpha-, gamma-, and delta-tocotrienols, RRR-alpha-tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E acetate), and RRR-alpha-tocopheryl succinate (vitamin E succinate) were investigated in estrogen-responsive MCF7 and estrogen-nonresponsive MDA-MB-435 human breast cancer cell lines in culture. Apoptosis was characterized by two criteria: 1) morphology of 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole-stained cells and oligonucleosomal DNA laddering. Vitamin E succinate, a known inducer of apoptosis in several cell lines, including human breast cancer cells, served as a positive control. The estrogen-responsive MCF7 cells were more susceptible than the estrogen-nonresponsive MDA-MB-435 cells, with concentrations for half-maximal response for tocotrienols (alpha, gamma, and delta) and RRR-delta-tocopherol of 14, 15, 7, and 97 micrograms/ml, respectively. The tocotrienols (alpha, gamma, and delta) and RRR-delta-tocopherol induced MDA-MB-435 cells to undergo apoptosis, with concentrations for half-maximal response of 176, 28, 13, and 145 micrograms/ml, respectively. With the exception of RRR-delta-tocopherol, the tocopherols (alpha, beta, and gamma) and the acetate derivative of RRR-alpha-tocopherol (RRR-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) were ineffective in induction of apoptosis in both cell lines when tested within the range of their solubility, i.e., 10-200 micrograms/ml. In summary, these studies demonstrate that naturally occurring tocotrienols and RRR-delta-tocopherol are effective apoptotic inducers for human breast cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Texas at Austin 78712, USA.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simmons-Menchaca
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gapor
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kline
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002839:Chromans / Q000494:pharmacology; D002843:Chromatin / Q000187:drug effects; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000473:pathology*; D024508:Tocotrienols; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002839:Chromans; D002843:Chromatin; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D024508:Tocotrienols; D014810:Vitamin E; C082097:tocotrienol, delta; C013649:plastochromanol 8; C082089:tocotrienol, beta; C082032:tocotrienol, alpha