The Impact of Flaxseed Extract on the Expression of DNA Repair Genes MSH۲ and MLH۱ in Breast Cancer Cells

Breast cancer remains one of the most prevalent cancers among women worldwide, and despite advancements in treatment strategies such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy, the mortality rate associated with this disease remains high. Traditional chemotherapy, while effective in some cases, is often accompanied by significant side effects due to the toxicity of chemical drugs. Moreover, cancer cells can develop resistance to these drugs over time, diminishing their effectiveness. These challenges have led researchers to explore alternative treatments, particularly those derived from natural sources, such as herbal remedies. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in using herbal and novel anti-cancer agents due to their potential to be both less toxic and more effective against resistant cancer cells. Flaxseed is one such agent that has garnered attention for its anti-cancer properties. Flaxseed contains bioactive compounds such as lignans, omega-۳ fatty acids, and fiber, which have been suggested to exhibit anti-cancer effects. Studies have shown that flaxseed can modulate various biological processes, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and hormone regulation, which are important in cancer progression. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of flaxseed extract on the expression of two key DNA repair genes, MSH۲ and MLH۱, which play critical roles in the mismatch repair (MMR) system. This system is responsible for correcting DNA replication errors and maintaining genomic stability, and its dysfunction has been associated with the development and progression of cancers, including breast cancer. Methods: In this study, BT-۴۷۴ human breast cancer cells were treated with ۸۳۴.۹ μg/ml of flaxseed methanolic extract, a concentration corresponding to the IC۵۰ value over a ۴۸-hour period, indicating the concentration needed to inhibit cell growth by ۵۰%. Following treatment, total RNA was extracted from the cells, and cDNA was synthesized for gene expression analysis. The expression levels of MSH۲ and MLH۱ were then assessed using Real-Time PCR to determine any changes induced by the flaxseed extract. Results: The results demonstrated that the ΔCT values for MSH۲ and MLH۱ in the flaxseed-treated cells were not significantly different from those in the control group. The P-values for the changes in expression were ۰.۰۶۶ for MSH۲ and ۰.۱۷۳ for MLH۱, indicating no statistically significant alteration in gene expression. Conclusion: These findings suggest that, under the conditions tested, flaxseed extract does not have a notable impact on the expression of these MMR genes in BT-۴۷۴ breast cancer cells. Further research is needed to explore other potential mechanisms by which flaxseed may exert its anti-cancer effects.

کلیدواژه ها:

Flaxseed extract ، Breast cancer ، MSH۲ gene ، MLH۱ gene ، Real-Time PCR