Auhtors: El-Benhawy SA, El-Sheredy HG, Ghanem HB, El-Soud AAA
doi: https://doi.org/10.2217/bmt-2020-0007
Abstract
Aim:
Our objective was to investigate the effect of ionizing radiation (IR) and berberine on the expression of stem cell markers OCT4 and SOX2.
Materials & methods:
The study involved the following groups: Group I: MCF-7 spheroids as untreated control; Group II: MCF-7 spheroids treated with IR; Group III: MCF-7 spheroids treated with berberine; and Group IV: MCF-7 spheroids treated with berberine + IR. MCF-7 spheroids’ metabolic activity and viability was determined with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. OCT4 and SOX2 genes expression were assayed by real time-plymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
Results:
IR and berberine treatment decreased the viability of MCF-7 spheroids and reduced OCT4 and SOX2 genes expression. Combining berberine with IR leads to a significant reduction in cell viability and OCT4 and SOX2 genes expression when compared with radiation alone treated group.
Conclusion:
Berberine showed to be a good candidate for further studies as a new anticancer drug in the treatment of breast cancer. Berberine has a radiosensitizing effect through targeting cancer stem cells.
Keywords: berberine, breast cancer, ionizing radiation, OCT4, SOX2
