Objective: To investigate the inhibitory and apoptosis regulating effects of adriamycin (ADM) on different human breast cancer cell lines and to evaluate the value of apoptosis in breast cancer treatment.
Methods: Human breast cancer cells of the lines Bcap37 and MDA-MB-231 were cultured. ADM of different concentrations was added into the culture fluid. MTT method was used to detect the inhibition rate. Flow cytometry was used to detect the proliferation and apoptosis of the cells. To examine the expression of apoptosis-related molecules: Fas, mutant p53, and Bcl-2 proteins.
Results: ADM inhibited the proliferation of Bcap37 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells dose and time-dependently, however, the inhibitory effect of ADM was stronger on the Bcap37 cells than on the MDA-MB-231 cells. After being treated by ADM the expression of Fas was increased and the expression of Bcl-2 was decreased in the Bcap37 cells. However, after being treated by ADM the expressions of Fas, Bcl-2, and mutant p53 in the MDA-MB-231 cells remained almost unchanged. Treated by ADM for 24 hours the apoptotic rate of the Bcap37 cells was increased from 0% to 5.8% (P < 0.05), however, no apoptosis was detected in the MDA-MB-231 cells after treatment of ADM at any time pint.
Conclusion: With different molecular and biological characteristics, different breast cancer lines are different in chemosensitivity and drug-resistance, which are related to their apoptotic abilities induced by chemotherapeutic drugs.