title: The effects of HAART on the expression of MUC1 and P65 in a cervical cancer cell line, HCS-2.
abstract: Cervical cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer globally and it is one of three AIDS defining malignancies. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is a combination of three or more antiretroviral drugs and has been shown to play a significant role in reducing the incidence of some AIDS defining malignancies, although its effect on cervical cancer is still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cervical cancer and HAART. This was achieved by studying the expression of two signalling molecules expressed in cervical cancer; MUC1 and P65. Following the 24-hour treatment of a cervical cancer cell line, HCS-2, with drugs, which are commonly used as part of HAART at their clinical plasma concentrations, real-time qPCR and immunofluorescence were used in order to study gene and protein expression. A one-way ANOVA followed by a Tukey-Kramer post-hoc test was conducted using JMP 11 software on both sets of data. The drug classified as a protease inhibitor (PI) (i.e. LPV/r) reduced MUC1 and P65 gene and protein expression more than the other drug tested. PIs are known to play a significant role in cell death; therefore, the cells were thought to be more susceptible to cell death following treatment with PIs. In conclusion, the drugs used, especially the PI showed some anticancer effects by facilitating cell death through decreased gene and protein expression of MUC1 and P65 and present promising agents for cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: School of Anatomical Sciences, Wits Medical School, University of the Witwatersrand, 7, York Road, Parktown, 2193 Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Kutlwano Rekgopetswe
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Thabethe
authors.affiliation: School of Anatomical Sciences, Wits Medical School, University of the Witwatersrand, 7, York Road, Parktown, 2193 Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Medical Sciences, Public Health and Health promotion, School of Health Sciences, University of Limpopo, Private Bag x1106, Sovenga 0727, South Africa. Electronic address: gbenga.adefolaju@wits.ac.za.
authors.forename: Gbenga Anthony
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Adefolaju
authors.affiliation: School of Anatomical Sciences, Wits Medical School, University of the Witwatersrand, 7, York Road, Parktown, 2193 Johannesburg, South Africa; Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia, No. 1 Jalan Sarjana, 1, Kota Ilmu, EduCity@Iskandar, 79200 Nusajaya, Johor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Margot Jill
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hosie
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D018396:Mucin-1; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA
keywords: Cell death; Cervical cancer; HAART; MUC1; P65