title: Synergistic antitumor effect of TRAIL and adriamycin on the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of the combination of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and adriamycin (ADM) on the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and to identify potential mechanisms of apoptosis. Cell viability was analyzed by the MTT assay and the synergistic effect was assessed by the Webb coefficient. Apoptosis was quantified using the annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide staining flow cytometry. The mRNA expression of TRAIL receptors was measured by RT-PCR. Changes in the quantities of Bax and caspase-9 proteins were determined by Western blot. MCF-7 cells were relatively resistant to TRAIL (IC50 >10 microg/mL), while MCF-7 cells were sensitive to ADM (IC50 <10 microg/mL). A subtoxic concentration of ADM (0.5 microg/mL) combined with 0.1, 1, or 10 microg/mL TRAIL had a synergistic cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 cells, which was more marked with the combination of TRAIL (0.1 microg/mL) and ADM (0.5 microg/mL). In addition, the combined treatment with TRAIL and ADM significantly increased cell apoptosis from 9.8% (TRAIL) or 17% (ADM) to 38.7%, resulting in a synergistic apoptotic effect, which is proposed to be mediated by up-regulation of DR4 and DR5 mRNA expression and increased expression of Bax and caspase-9 proteins. These results suggest that the combination of TRAIL and ADM might be a promising therapy for breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yi
mesh_terms: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000032:analysis; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; C494826:BAX protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D004317:Doxorubicin; D053453:Caspase 9