title: Strain-specific differences in formation of apoptotic DNA ladders in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.
abstract: We tested the ability of seven MCF-7 strains to undergo DNA fragmentation, as measured by DNA laddering, following doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. Four strains were found to undergo DNA laddering while three were not. All strains were inhibited by doxorubicin, although sensitivity differed. Finally, we show by detection of sub-G1 DNA that doxorubicin induced the same fold increase in apoptosis in MCF-7-ATCC, which did not ladder, and MCF-7-MG, which did ladder. Therefore, detection of DNA ladders is not an accurate indicator of apoptosis in MCF-7 cells as fragmentation of DNA appears to vary between strains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 78284-7884, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gooch
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yee
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D004317:Doxorubicin; D004247:DNA