Effects of retinoic acid isomers on apoptosis and enzymatic antioxidant system in human breast cancer cells

• Published in: Nutrition research and practice Vol. 3; no. 2; pp. 77 - 83
• Main Authors: Hong, T.K., Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea, Lee-Kim, Y.C., Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) 한국영양학회 01.01.2009; The Korean Nutrition Society and The Korean Society of Community Nutrition
• Subjects: antioxidant enzymes; APOPTOSE; APOPTOSIS; Breast cancer cells; Original Research; RA Isomers; 생활과학; apoptosis; RA Isomers; antioxidant enzymes; Breast cancer cells
• ISSN: 1976-1457; 2005-6168
• DOI: 10.4162/nrp.2009.3.2.77

Retinoic acids (RAs) modulate growth, differentiation, and apoptosis in normal, pre-malignant and malignant cells. In the present study, the effects of RA isomers (all-trans RA, 13-cis RA, and 9-cis RA) on the cell signal transduction of human breast cancer cells have been studied. The relationship between RAs and an enzymatic antioxidant system was also determined. Estrogen-receptor (ER) positive MCF-7 and ER-negative MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells were treated with different doses of each RA isomers, all-trans RA, 13-cis RA, or 9-cis RA. Treatment of RA isomers inhibited cell viability and induced apoptosis of MCF-7 cells as a result of increased caspase activity in cytoplasm and cytochrome C released from mitochondria. All-trans RA was the most effective RA isomer in both cell growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. However, no significant effect of RA isomers was observed on the cell growth or apoptosis in ER-negative MDA-MB-231 cells. In addition, activities of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase and glutathione peroxidase were decreased effectively after treatment of RA in MCF-7 cells, whereas SOD activity was rarely affected. Thus, the present data suggest that all-trans RA is the most potential inducer of apoptosis and modulator of antioxidant enzymes among RA isomers in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.