title: Synergistic effects of exemestane and aspirin on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to investigate the combined effects of exemestane and aspirin on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antiproliferative effects of exemestane and aspirin, alone and in combination, on growth of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells were assessed using the MTT assay. Synergistic interaction between the two drugs was evaluated in vitro using the combination index (CI) method. The cell cycle distribution was analyzed by flow cytometry and Western blotting was used to investigate the expression of cyclooxygenase-1, cyclooxygenase-2 and Bcl-2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MTT assays indicated that combination treatment obviously decreased the viability of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells compared to individual drug treatment (CI<1). In addition, the combination of exemestane and aspirin exhibited a synergistic inhibition of cell proliferation, significantly arrested the cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase and produced a stronger inhibitory effect on COX-1 and Bcl-2 expression than control or individual drug treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that the combination of exemestane and aspirin might become a useful method to the treatment of hormone- dependent breast cancer. The combination of the two inhibitors significantly increased the response as compared to single agent treatment, suggesting that combination treatment could become a highly effective approach for breast cancer.
authors: Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors: Li-Xia
authors: LX
authors: Hu
authors: Ying-Ying
authors: YY
authors: Du
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: Yue-Yin
authors: YY
authors: Pan
mesh_terms: D000730:Androstadienes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001241:Aspirin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000730:Androstadienes; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D015232:Dinoprostone; C056516:exemestane; D001241:Aspirin