Kern Katie M, Schroeder Jennifer R
Department of Biology, Millikin University, Decatur, IL 62522, USA.
Int J Breast Cancer. 2014;2014:423059. doi: 10.1155/2014/423059. Epub 2014 Sep 14.
As part of a larger study synthesizing a more directed form of chemotherapy, we have begun to assess the efficacy of different potential toxins that could be delivered locally rather than systemically. In doing so, we hope to reduce the systemic side effects commonly observed, while maintaining a high level of toxicity and eliminating the need for metabolic alterations. In a search for this more efficient method for killing cancerous cells, we have begun studying cantharidin, a toxin used in traditional Chinese medicine, as a potential chemotherapeutic. Using an MTT cell viability assay, the toxicity of cantharidin was compared to both cyclophosphamide and paclitaxel in three different breast cancer cell lines: MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and SK-BR-3. Increasing the concentration of chemotherapy drugs did decrease cell viability in all cell lines when cantharidin and cyclophosphamide were applied; however differences for paclitaxel were cell-specific. Additionally, cantharidin exhibited the highest decrease in cell viability regardless of cell type, indicating it may be a much more potent and less specific chemotherapeutic. These results will help us move forward in developing a potentially more potent treatment for breast cancer that might eliminate the need for subtype-specific treatments.
作为一项更大规模研究的一部分，该研究旨在合成一种更具针对性的化疗形式，我们已开始评估不同潜在毒素的疗效，这些毒素可以局部而非全身给药。通过这样做，我们希望减少常见的全身副作用，同时保持高毒性水平并消除代谢改变的必要性。在寻找这种更有效的杀死癌细胞的方法时，我们已开始研究斑蝥素，一种传统中药中使用的毒素，作为一种潜在的化疗药物。使用MTT细胞活力测定法，在三种不同的乳腺癌细胞系MCF-7、MDA-MB-231和SK-BR-3中，将斑蝥素的毒性与环磷酰胺和紫杉醇进行了比较。当应用斑蝥素和环磷酰胺时，增加化疗药物的浓度确实会降低所有细胞系中的细胞活力；然而，紫杉醇的差异是细胞特异性的。此外，无论细胞类型如何，斑蝥素都表现出最高的细胞活力下降，表明它可能是一种更有效且特异性更低的化疗药物。这些结果将有助于我们在开发一种可能更有效的乳腺癌治疗方法方面取得进展，这种方法可能无需针对亚型的治疗。
