Antiproliferative activity of Tamoxifen, Vitamin D3 and their concomitant treatment

Authors

  • Derya Yetkin Mersin University, Advanced Technology Education Research and Application Center, 33110, Mersin, Turkey. Tel: 00 90-324-3610000, E-mail: deryayetkin@mersin.edu.tr https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1452-5655
  • Ebru Balli Mersin University, Department of Histology and Embryology, 33110 Mersin, Turkey https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9950-5548
  • Furkan Ayaz Mersin University, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Arts and Science, 33110, Mersin, Turkey. Tel: 00 90-324-3610000, E-mail: furkanayaz@mersin.edu.tr https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0271-0594

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2021-3989

Keywords:

breast cancer, Tamoxifen, Vitamin D3, cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle

Abstract

Breast cancer stands out as the most common cancer type among women throughout the world. Especially for the estrogen receptor alpha (ER α +) positive breast cancer cells Tamoxifen has been widely used as an anti-cancer agent. Tamoxifen’s mechanism of action is through ER. It binds to the receptor and leads to a conformational change which eventually prevents cancer cells proliferation and survival. In our current study, we aimed to investigate the combination of Tamoxifen with Vitamin D3 to test whether this combination will enhance the anti-cancer effect of Tamoxifen on breast cancer cells in vitro. Vitamin D3 has sterol structure and this property enables it to act similar to hormones. Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) has been commonly found in different types of cancer cells including but not limited to breast and prostate cancer cells. Through this receptor Vitamin D3 acts as an anti-proliferative agent. We examined the proliferation rate, apoptosis and necrosis levels as well as cell cycle progression in MCF-7 breast cancer cell line in the presence of Vitamin D3 and Tamoxifen to compare the changes with the Tamoxifen treated group. Our results suggest that Tamoxifen was a more potent anti-cancer agent than Vitamin D3 or its combination with Vitamin D3 based on cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and cell proliferation levels. This effect in the apoptosis rate and cell cycle stage of the MCF-7 cells were in line with the changes in gene expression profile of P53, BAX and BCL-2. Our results suggest that Tamoxifen by itself is adequate enough and more potent than Vitamin D3 or its combination with Vitamin D3 as anti-cancer agent for the breast cancer cells in vitro.

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Published

2021-09-21

How to Cite

Yetkin, D., Balli, E., & Ayaz, F. (2021). Antiproliferative activity of Tamoxifen, Vitamin D3 and their concomitant treatment. EXCLI Journal, 20, 1394–1406. https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2021-3989

Issue

Vol. 20 (2021)

Section

Original articles

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Copyright (c) 2021 Derya Yetkin, Ebru Balli, Furkan Ayaz

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