Positive Health Online

Abstract

LI and others, Department of Cancer Chemoprevention, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA, have illuminated the mechanism of action of selenium in counteracting breast cancer.

Background

Doxorubicin is an effective drug against breast cancer. However, the favourable therapeutic response to doxorubicin is often associated with severe toxicity. The aim of this study was to develop a strategy of increasing doxorubicin sensitivity so that lower doses may be used without compromising efficacy.

Methodology

In vitro study using cells in culture.

Results

The MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line did not respond to doxorubicin cell killing during a 24-h treatment period. By combining doxorubicin with selenium, a brisk enhancement of cell death was achieved. It was found that selenium was capable of depressing doxorubicin-induced Akt phosphorylation. This is thought to be a key step leading to programmed cell death (apoptosis).

Conclusion

This biochemical study shows how the trace element selenium works together with the sophisticated anti-cancer drug doxorubicin to enhance its cytotoxic effect on breast cancer cells and may lead to the feasibility of lower dosages to be used.

References

Li S, Zhou Y, Wang R, Zhang H, Dong Y, Ip C. Selenium sensitizes MCF-7 breast cancer cells to doxorubicin-induced apoptosis through modulation of phospho-Akt and its downstream substrates. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 6 (3): 1031-1038, Mar 2007.