Ascorbate (vitamin C) induces cell death through the apoptosis-inducing factor in human breast cancer cells

  • Authors:
    • Seung-Woo Hong
    • Dong-Hoon Jin
    • Eun-Sil Hahm
    • Sei-Hyun Yim
    • Jong-Seok Lim
    • Keun-Il Kim
    • Young Yang
    • Soo-Suk Lee
    • Jae-Seung Kang
    • Wang-Jae Lee
    • Won-Keun Lee
    • Myeong-Sok Lee
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: October 1, 2007     https://doi.org/10.3892/or.18.4.811
  • Pages: 811-815
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Abstract

Although ascorbate (Vitamin C) has been shown to inhibit cell growth and induce cell death in variety of cancer cells, results reported in other studies are inconsistent with this conclusion. It was previously reported that ascorbate induces apoptosis in human breast cancer cells. However, the molecular mechanism for this is not clear. In this study, we demonstrate that ascorbate induces cell death through the apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) in the human breast cancer cell lines, SK-BR3 and Hs578T, but not in a normal breast cell line, Hs578. Ascorbate treatment caused the nuclear translocation of AIF, which is retained in the mitochondria in healthy cells, but caspase cleavage is not induced. Moreover, MG132, an inhibitor of AIF release from mitochondria, blocked the induction of cell death. Furthermore, cells that had been treated with human AIF-specific siRNA resisted cell death induced by ascorbate, implying that the translocation of AIF from mitochondria to the nucleus is responsible for ascorbate-mediated cell death. Therefore, these results suggest that ascorbate activates a caspase-independent and AIF-mediated cell death pathway in human breast cancer cells, SK-BR3, and Hs578T.

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October 2007
Volume 18 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 1021-335X
Online ISSN:1791-2431

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Spandidos Publications style
Hong S, Jin D, Hahm E, Yim S, Lim J, Kim K, Yang Y, Lee S, Kang J, Lee W, Lee W, et al: Ascorbate (vitamin C) induces cell death through the apoptosis-inducing factor in human breast cancer cells. Oncol Rep 18: 811-815, 2007
APA
Hong, S., Jin, D., Hahm, E., Yim, S., Lim, J., Kim, K. ... Lee, M. (2007). Ascorbate (vitamin C) induces cell death through the apoptosis-inducing factor in human breast cancer cells. Oncology Reports, 18, 811-815. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.18.4.811
MLA
Hong, S., Jin, D., Hahm, E., Yim, S., Lim, J., Kim, K., Yang, Y., Lee, S., Kang, J., Lee, W., Lee, W., Lee, M."Ascorbate (vitamin C) induces cell death through the apoptosis-inducing factor in human breast cancer cells". Oncology Reports 18.4 (2007): 811-815.
Chicago
Hong, S., Jin, D., Hahm, E., Yim, S., Lim, J., Kim, K., Yang, Y., Lee, S., Kang, J., Lee, W., Lee, W., Lee, M."Ascorbate (vitamin C) induces cell death through the apoptosis-inducing factor in human breast cancer cells". Oncology Reports 18, no. 4 (2007): 811-815. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.18.4.811