Effect of Caffeic Acid on Glutathione Metabolism of MCF-7 and MDA MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells

Jemima V. Manuel

Abstract

Increasing incidences of breast cancer at alarming rates with treatment strategies having an overall detrimental effect on the patients led to investigating the potential of phytochemicals as anti-tumorigenic agents. Caffeic acid, an antioxidant and anti-tumorigenic phytochemical, has been tested on MCF-7(hormone responsive) and MDA MB-231(hormone-independent) breast cancer cell lines. Alterations in the levels of intracellular glutathione (GSH) in both cell lines due to exposure to the drug are the primary focus of this study as changes in glutathione levels would have futuristic implications in the areas of detoxification and drug resistance of the cells when treated further. Each cell line was treated with caffeic acid, and the resazurin and monochlorobimane (mCB) assays were performed to assess cell viability and intracellular glutathione concentrations, respectively. Results showed a decrease in cell numbers for both cell lines, and of the surviving cells, there were 9-fold and 6-fold increases in glutathione concentrations per cell for MCF-7 and MDA MB-231 cells type, respectively. Further flow cytometry analysis revealed that apoptosis (87.49%) had occurred in the treated MCF-7 cells. Caffeic acid thus has evident apoptotic capacity against breast cancer cells in culture and may also prove positive for in vivo treatment of these cells.

Abstract

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