title: Synergistic apoptosis of MCF-7 breast cancer cells by 2-methoxyestradiol and bis(ethyl)norspermine.
abstract: 2-Methoxyestradiol (2ME) is an estradiol metabolite with anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic properties. We studied the effect of 2ME on apoptosis of MCF-7 breast cancer cells and explored a combination therapy using 2ME and a polyamine analogue, bis(ethyl)norspermine (BE-3-3-3). Determination of viable cells on day 4 of treatment with 2ME/BE-3-3-3 combinations showed synergistic effects by Chou-Talalay analysis. APO-BRDU analysis showed that there was only 1.5+/-0.5% apoptosis at 200 nM 2ME and 3.7+/-1.7% in the presence of 2.5 microM BE-3-3-3. Combination of 200 nM 2ME and 2.5 microM BE-3-3-3 resulted in 52.2+/-2.6% apoptosis. Up to 90% of the cells underwent apoptosis in the presence of 1000 nM 2ME and 2.5 microM BE-3-3-3. Combination treatments resulted in total disruption of microtubules and depletion of putrescine, spermidine and spermine. In addition, phosphorylation of Akt and nuclear localization of cyclin D1 were altered by 2ME/BE-3-3-3 combination. Our results suggest an important strategy to induce apoptosis of breast cancer cells, with potential applications in therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA.
authors.forename: Sandhya K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: Arti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shirahata
authors.forename: Thresia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000077584:2-Methoxyestradiol; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D002453:Cell Cycle; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000378:metabolism; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D013096:Spermine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C059685:N(1),N(11)-diethylnorspermine; D019938:Cyclin D1; D013096:Spermine; D004958:Estradiol; D000077584:2-Methoxyestradiol; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine