Effect of levamisole on induction of apoptosisin MCF-۷ cancer cells

Objectives: Cancer is the leading cause of death throughoutthe world and breast cancer is among the most common causeof death among women. In most cases, cancers remain untreatabledue to the side effects and nature of the treatments, so newtherapies are needed. Levamisole is a drug used in human medicineas immunomodulator. The aim of the present study wasto investigate the effect levamisole on the apoptosis of MCF-۷cancer cells.Materials and Methods: MCF-۷ cells were cultured in DMEMmedium containing ۱۰% FBS and treated with ۷۸, ۱۵۶, ۳۱۲,۶۲۵, and ۱۲۵۰ μg/ml dose of levamisole were evaluated byMTT assay for their viability after ۷۲ hours. Cell morphologywas also examined by Giemsa staining using invert microscopy,as well as, evaluating the Bad, Bax, BCL-۲ by Real-Time PCR.Data were analyzed using SPSS version ۲۵.Results: Using MTT assay, IC۵۰ of levamisole was determinedto be at the ۶۲۵ μg/ml. Dose of ۷۸ μg/ml almost had no apoptoticeffect and ۱۲۵۰ μg/ml had the most apoptotic effect killing۷۶% of all cells. In the results of Real-Time PCR, elevatedBax and Bad alongside reduced BCL-۲ gene expression wereevident.Conclusion: Levamisole showed apoptotic effects on MCF-۷cancer cells. Thus, we can conclude using levamisole as an anticanceragent in human breast cancer can be considered.

کلیدواژه ها:

Breast cancer ، Levamisole ، Apoptosis ، MCF-۷