title: ERα signaling imparts chemotherapeutic selectivity to selenium nanoparticles in breast cancer.
abstract: The present study focuses on the synthesis of stable selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and the elucidation of their mechanism of action in preventing the growth of mammary tumors. Selenious acid and reduced glutathione in the presence of sodium alginate were used as precursors for synthesis of SeNPs. Cell viability and expression of apoptotic markers (pp38, Bax, and cytochrome c) were assessed in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells treated with SeNPs. Reduction in tumor volume was measured in rats with dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced mammary tumors. Synthesized SeNPs ranged in size from 40 to 90 nm and were stable up to 3 months of storage. We report that SeNP-induced cell death and expression of pp38, Bax, and cytochrome c were significantly higher in estrogen receptor-α (ERα)-positive cells (MCF-7) but not in ERα-negative cells (MDA-MB-231). Interestingly, animals showing significant decrease in tumor volume (small tumors) had lower levels of ERα as compared with animals showing a nonsignificant decrease in tumor volume (large tumor). This is the first report in our knowledge suggesting that the anticancer activity of SeNPs correlates with the level of ERα in breast cancer cells both in vivo and in vitro.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This study focuses on the synthesis of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) with the goal of preventing the growth of breast cancer cells, suggesting that the anticancer activity of SeNPs correlates with the level of ERα in breast cancer cells both in vivo and in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chromatin Biology, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Nagar, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Kiritkumar K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Vekariya
authors.forename: Jasmine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: Kulbhushan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tikoo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001940:Breast / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012643:Selenium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D012643:Selenium