Research Article

Evaluation of Melatonin Effect on Human Breast Cancer Stem Cells Using a Threedimensional Growth Method of Mammospheres

Author(s):

Juliana Ramos Lopes, Mayume da Silva Kavagutti, Felipe Arthur Faustino de Medeiros and Debora Aparecida Pires de Campos Zuccari*   Pages 961 - 965 ( 5 )

Abstract:

Background: The high rates of women&#039;s death from breast cancer occur due to acquired resistance by patients to certain treatments, enabling the recurrence and/or tumor growth, invasion and metastasis. It has been demonstrated that the presence of cancer stem cells in human tumors, as responsible for recurrence and resistance to therapy. Studies have identified OCT4 as responsible for self-renewal and maintenance of pluripotency of stem cells. Thus, it is interesting to study potential drugs that target this specific population in breast cancer. Melatonin, appears to have oncostatic effects on cancer cells, however, little is known about its therapeutic effect on cancer stem cells. <p></p> Objective: Evaluate the viability and the expression of OCT4 in breast cancer stem cells, MCF-7 and MDA-MB- 231, after melatonin treatment. <p></p> Method: The cells were grown in a 3-dimensional model of mammospheres, representing the breast cancer stem cell population and treated or not with melatonin. The cell viability of mammospheres were evaluated by MTT assay and the OCT4 expression, a cancer stem cells marker, was verified by immunocitochemistry. <p></p> Results: Our results demonstrated that the melatonin treatment decreased the cell viability of MCF-7 and MDAMB- 231 mammospheres. Furthermore, it was observed that in both cell lines, the expression of OCT4 was decreased in melatonin-treated cells compared to the control group. <p></p> Conclusions: This fact suggests that melatonin is effective against breast cancer stem cells inhibiting the cell viability via OCT 4. Based on that, we believe that melatonin has a high potential to be used as an alternative treatment for breast cancer. <p></p>

Keywords:

Mammospheres, breast cancer, OCT4, melatonin, immunocytochemistry and three-dimensional.

Affiliation:

Postgraduate program in Genetics, Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP/IBILCE, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil. Cristovão Colombo, 2265, Zip Code: 15054-000, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Laboratory of Molecular Research in Cancer (LIMC), Department of Molecular Biology, FAMERP, Brazil. Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, Zip Code: 15090-000, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Laboratory of Molecular Research in Cancer (LIMC), Department of Molecular Biology, FAMERP, Brazil. Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, Zip Code: 15090-000, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Laboratory of Molecular Research in Cancer (LIMC), Faculty of Medicine of São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, Vila São Pedro, São José do Rio Preto (SP)

Graphical Abstract:

Read Full-Text article