Masoud Asadi-Khiavi
1,2,3, Hossein Hamzeiy
1,2*, Sajjad Khani
2, Ailar Nakhlband
2, Jaleh Barar
2,4* 
1 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
2 Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
3 Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
4 Ovarian Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
Abstract
Introduction:
Gap junctions play an important role in the cell proliferation in
mammalian cells as well as carcinogenesis. However, there are
controversial issues about their role in cancer pathogenesis. This study
was designed to evaluate genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of Carbenoxolone
(CBX) as a prototype of inter-cellular gap junction blocker in MCF7 and
BT20 human breast cancer cells. Methods: The
MCF7and BT20 human breast cancer cell lines were cultivated, and treated
at designated confluency with different doses of CBX. Cellular
cytotoxicity was examined using standard colorimetric assay associated
with cell viability tests. Gene expression evaluation was carried out
using real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results:
MCF7 and BT20 cells were significantly affected by CBX in a dose
dependent manner in cell viability assays. Despite varying expression of
genes, down regulation of pro- and anti-apoptotic genes was observed in
these cells. Conclusion: Based upon this
investigation, it can be concluded that CBX could affect both low and
high proliferative types of breast cancer cell lines and
disproportionate down regulation of both pre- and anti-apoptotic genes
may be related to interacting biomolecules, perhaps via gap junctions.