The effect of siRNA-Egr-1 and camptothecin on growth and chemosensitivity of breast cancer cell lines

  • Authors:
    • Eduardo Parra
    • Jorge Ferreira
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: April 1, 2010     https://doi.org/10.3892/or_00000746
  • Pages: 1159-1165
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Abstract

We have examined the effects of a siRNA targeting the Egr-1, alone or in combination with the breast cancer therapeutic camptothecin (Cpt), in suppressing breast cancer cell survival and anchorage-independent growth in the breast cancer cell lines SK-BR3 and MCF-7. In mammary and lung tumors, as well as most normal tissues, Egr-1 expression is low, suggesting a possible relation between the low levels of Egr-1 and the development of mammary neoplasias. However, analyses of the expression of Egr-1 in breast carcinoma cells, SK-BR3 and MCF-7 demonstrated a relatively high expression of the endogenous Egr-1 in these cells. To investigate the effect of the blocking of the endogenous Egr-1 in breast cancer cells, we used small interfering RNA (siRNA) against Egr-1 alone or in combination with Cpt, and expected that the cell sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drug would increase, when blocked with the Egr-1 gene and treated with Cpt. Thus, we performed in vitro experiment to clarify the effect of Egr-1 on tumor cell lines growth. We made control and siRNA-Egr-1 using vector plasmids and then transfected SK-BR3 and MCF-7 cells. After treating the cells with siRNA-Egr-1, the cell lines were assayed with Cpt to confirm the effect of Egr-1 siRNA using the cell expression of mRNA and protein, proliferation assay and anchorage activity with soft agar. Human SK-BR3 and MCF-7 breast carcinoma cell growth and capacity of anchorage transfected with siRNA-Egr-1 or treated with cpt was slower than that of the control group. This effect was increased when the cells were given simultaneously siRNA and camptothecin. The results strongly suggest that siRNA-Egr-1 alone or in combination with camptothecin could be a potent antineoplastic agent in suppressing the growth of breast tumor despite the known role of Egr-1 as a tumor-suppressor in several other types of human cancers.

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April 2010
Volume 23 Issue 4

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

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Spandidos Publications style
Parra E and Ferreira J: The effect of siRNA-Egr-1 and camptothecin on growth and chemosensitivity of breast cancer cell lines. Oncol Rep 23: 1159-1165, 2010.
APA
Parra, E., & Ferreira, J. (2010). The effect of siRNA-Egr-1 and camptothecin on growth and chemosensitivity of breast cancer cell lines. Oncology Reports, 23, 1159-1165. https://doi.org/10.3892/or_00000746
MLA
Parra, E., Ferreira, J."The effect of siRNA-Egr-1 and camptothecin on growth and chemosensitivity of breast cancer cell lines". Oncology Reports 23.4 (2010): 1159-1165.
Chicago
Parra, E., Ferreira, J."The effect of siRNA-Egr-1 and camptothecin on growth and chemosensitivity of breast cancer cell lines". Oncology Reports 23, no. 4 (2010): 1159-1165. https://doi.org/10.3892/or_00000746