Cytotoxicity effects of Phormidium animale cyanobacterium extract on breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) and analysis of the expression of tumor suppressor p53 genes

Breast Cancer is the most prevalent type of tumor and is also have second major death among women. The aim of the current study was to investigate the anticancer properties of Phormidiumm Animale cyanobacterium extract using MTT assay and through modulation of p53 gene expression in breast cancer cells.

In the current study, the breast cancer MCF-7 and normal HEK293 cell lines were treated with various concentrations of P. animale extract ranging 50, 100, 200 mg/mL for 24 hours. Cell viability was measured using MTT (3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide) assay against cell lines. The gene expressions of p53 compared with GAPDH were measured using the real-time PCR method.

The MTT results showed that P. animale significantly decreased the viability of cancer cells compared to normal cells in dose-dependent mode. Moreover, the mRNA levels of p53 were significantly increased from 3.34 in MCF-7 cells to 5.15 and 9.11 fold, respectively, following treatment with 50, 100, and 200 mg/mL P. animale extract.

The data suggest that P. animale extract can induce cytotoxicity and might modulate apoptosis by up-regulating p53 gene expression in human breast cancer MCF-7 cell line.