title: Purified human chorionic gonadotropin induces apoptosis in breast cancer.
abstract: Agents that induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells have great potential to facilitate chemotherapeutic intervention and improve patient outcomes. In this study, the effects of injecting purified human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) directly into human breast cancer xenografts grown in nude mice were examined. It was shown that intratumoral injection of purified hCG increased the apoptotic index in breast cancer xenografts. These results were supported by the findings that exposure of breast cancer cells to purified hCG decreased cell viability in five different breast cancer cell lines. In some of these cell lines, the effects of hCG in cell viability appear to correlate with activation/expression of the hCG/luteinizing hormone receptor. Preoperative apoptotic induction by factors such as purified hCG may improve local control or work synergistically with neoadjuvant chemotherapy to improve complete pathologic response of locally advanced breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Don and Erika Wallace Comprehensive Breast Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, WCB-2, Tampa, FL 33612-9416, USA.
authors.forename: Dayami
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: Madhavi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sekharam
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.forename: W Bradford
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Carter
mesh_terms: D015124:8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D015124:8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate