Anticancer Effect of Bovine Lactoferrin on Breast Cancer Cell Line MCF۷ and the Evaluation of Bax and Bak Genes Expression Involved in Apoptosis

Background: Lactoferrin is a glycoprotein with antimicrobial, antioxidant, immune-modulating, antiviral, and most importantly anticancer properties. In the present study, the effect of lactoferrin on breast cancer cell growth and the expression of Bax and Bak genes are evaluated. Materials and Methods: MCF۷ cells were cultured in a ۹۶-well plate with ۱×۱۰۵ cells in each well. Different lactoferrin concentrations of ۰, ۵۰, ۳۰۰, ۶۰۰, and ۸۰۰ μg/mL were added to each well in three replicates and the well was incubated for ۲۴ hours. After treatment, cell survival was measured using the MTT assay. To determine the level of expression of Bax and Bak genes, the cells were treated with lactoferrin concentrations of ۰, ۵۰, and ۸۰۰ μg/mL in ۲ replicates for ۲۴ hours. Then RNA extraction was performed and cDNA was synthesized immediately and the expression of the genes in the presence of beta-actin reference gene and cyber-green fluorescence color was investigated with real-time reactions.  Results: The cells viability in lactoferrin concentrations of ۰, ۵۰, ۳۰۰, ۵۰۰ and ۸۰۰ μg/μL were ۱۰۰%, ۹۴%, ۸۳%, ۶۲%, and ۳۲%, respectively. The expression level of the Bax gene at a concentration of ۵۰ μg increased by ۲.۷۱ times and in ۸۰۰ μg concentration decreased by ۰.۸۸ times. Also, the expression level of the Bak gene at concentrations of ۵۰ and ۸۰۰ μg increased by ۱.۲۳ and ۱.۰ fold, respectively. Statistical analysis of the data indicated that the expression levels of two genes at a concentration of ۵۰ μg/mL of lactoferrin significantly increased (P<۰.۰۱), compared to the control. The significance level in this study was set at < ۰.۰۵.  Conclusion: In this study, lactoferrin showed a growth inhibitory effect on breast cancer cells and increased the expression of Bax and Bak genes involved in apoptosis at a concentration of ۵۰ µg/mL.

کلیدواژه ها:

: Anti cancer ، Breast cancer ، Bak gene ، Bax gene ، Lctoferrin