title: Betulinic acid-induced cytotoxicity in human breast tumor cell lines MCF-7 and T47D and its modification by tocopherol.
abstract: Betulinic acid (BA) has been shown to cause apoptosis in neuroblastoma and melanoma cell lines. We evaluated the cytotoxicity of BA in two breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and T47D differing in their p53 status. Treatment with BA resulted in a dose dependent inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis. This indicates p53-independent apoptotic pathway, because response of both p53 mutant and wild type cell line were found unaffected after treatment with pifithrin-α, an inhibitor of p53. Cells were significantly protected when treated by tocopherol suggesting involvement of membrane centered lipid peroxidation-mediated mechanism in BA-induced apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, University of Mumbai , Mumbai , India , 1.
authors.forename: Reeta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tiwari
authors.forename: Abhay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Puthli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Balakrishnan
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Sapra
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Mishra
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D024505:Tocopherols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000094062:Betulinic Acid
chemical_list: D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; C495901:TP53 protein, human; D014315:Triterpenes; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D024505:Tocopherols; D000094062:Betulinic Acid
keywords: Breast cancers; Chemotherapy; Tumor cell biology