Potassium increases the antitumor effects of ascorbic acid in breast cancer cell lines in vitro

  • Authors:
    • Giovanni Vanni Frajese
    • Monica Benvenuto
    • Massimo Fantini
    • Elena Ambrosin
    • Pamela Sacchetti
    • Laura Masuelli
    • Maria Gabriella Giganti
    • Andrea Modesti
    • Roberto Bei
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: April 27, 2016     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.4506
  • Pages: 4224-4234
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Abstract

Ascorbic acid (A) has been demonstrated to exhibit anti-cancer activity in association with chemotherapeutic agents. Potassium (K) is a regulator of cellular proliferation. In the present study, the biological effects of A and K bicarbonate, alone or in combination (A+K), on breast cancer cell lines were evaluated. The survival of cancer cells was determined by sulforhodamine B cell proliferation assay, while analysis of the cell cycle distribution was conducted via fluorescence-activated cell sorting. In addition, the expression of signaling proteins was analyzed upon treatment. The results indicated that there was a heterogeneous response of the different cell lines to A and K, and the best effects were achieved by A+K and A treatment. The interaction between A+K indicated an additive or synergistic effect. In addition, A+K increased the percentage of cells in the sub‑G1 phase of the cell cycle, and was the most effective treatment in activating the degradation of poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase-1. In the breast cancer cell line MCF‑7, A+K induced the appearance of the 18 kDa isoform of B‑cell lymphoma‑2‑associated X protein (Bax), which is a more potent inducer of apoptosis than the full‑length Bax‑p21. The effects of A and K on the phosphorylation of extracellular signal‑regulated kinase (ERK)1 and ERK2 were heterogeneous. In addition, treatment with K, A and A+K inhibited the expression of nuclear factor‑κB. Overall, the results of the present study indicated that K potentiated the anti-tumoral effects of A in breast cancer cells in vitro.
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June-2016
Volume 11 Issue 6

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Online ISSN:1792-1082

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Spandidos Publications style
Frajese GV, Benvenuto M, Fantini M, Ambrosin E, Sacchetti P, Masuelli L, Giganti MG, Modesti A and Bei R: Potassium increases the antitumor effects of ascorbic acid in breast cancer cell lines in vitro. Oncol Lett 11: 4224-4234, 2016
APA
Frajese, G.V., Benvenuto, M., Fantini, M., Ambrosin, E., Sacchetti, P., Masuelli, L. ... Bei, R. (2016). Potassium increases the antitumor effects of ascorbic acid in breast cancer cell lines in vitro. Oncology Letters, 11, 4224-4234. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.4506
MLA
Frajese, G. V., Benvenuto, M., Fantini, M., Ambrosin, E., Sacchetti, P., Masuelli, L., Giganti, M. G., Modesti, A., Bei, R."Potassium increases the antitumor effects of ascorbic acid in breast cancer cell lines in vitro". Oncology Letters 11.6 (2016): 4224-4234.
Chicago
Frajese, G. V., Benvenuto, M., Fantini, M., Ambrosin, E., Sacchetti, P., Masuelli, L., Giganti, M. G., Modesti, A., Bei, R."Potassium increases the antitumor effects of ascorbic acid in breast cancer cell lines in vitro". Oncology Letters 11, no. 6 (2016): 4224-4234. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.4506