ISSN: 0970-938X (Print) | 0976-1683 (Electronic)
An International Journal of Medical Sciences
Mohd Farhan
King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia
Posters & Accepted Abstracts : Biomed Res
Introduction: In the last couple of decades there has been
some interest in alternative mechanisms of apoptosis
induction which do not involve caspases. This is particularly of
interest in relation to cancer cells. We have hypothesized that
mobilization of endogenous copper ions by plant polyphenols
such as EGCG and consequent oxidative degradation of
cellular DNA could be an important mechanism of their
anticancer properties.
Objectives: Over the years we have validated our hypothesis
to a considerable degree. We further confirm the hypothesis
by using analogues of EGCG to identify the structural features
of tea catechins important for mobilizing endogenous copper
and breakage of cellular DNA in cancer cells.
Methodology: Comet assay to study DNA breakage, MTT
assay for cell proliferation and Histone/DNA Elisa for apoptosis
induction was used to examine the catechin mediated
oxidative breakage of cellular DNA in various cancer cell lines.
Results & Conclusion: Catechins have been shown to inhibit
cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in different cancer cell
lines and that such cell death is prevented to a significant
extent by copper chelator neocuproine. Further, normal
breast epithelial cells (MCF-10A), cultured in a medium
supplemented with copper (MCF-10A-Cu), become sensitized
to EGCG induced growth inhibition. Copper transporters
Ctr1 and ATP7A are found to have an increased expression in
MCF-10A-Cu cells and EGCG inhibits the expression of both
the copper transporters in such cells. Moreover, silencing of
copper transporter Ctr1 by siRNA reduces the sensitivity of
MCF-10A-Cu cells to EGCG. We conclude that the position
and the number of hydroxyl groups in various catechins
determine their capacity to mobilize endogenous copper and
degrade cellular DNA.
Mohd Farhan is currently working as an assistant professor in King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia. He has many publications in the international journals.
E-mail: farhan@mohdfarhan.com
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