Mammospheres from MDA-MB-468 Breast Cancer Cells Exhibits some Cancer Stem Cell traits and displays Drug Resistance to some Conventional Anticancer Drugs

Medicine

Breast cancer (BC) is now a global epidemic and poses overwhelming impact in humans. It is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in females. Even with the advances in treatment, management of patients is still a hurdle as recurrence and drug resistance to conventional cytotoxic drugs still occurs. Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a tiny subset of rare progenitor cells have been identified as a major contributor to chemo-resistance. In vitro research, mammospheres mimic tumor progression and enhance the stem cell-like features of cancer cells. This study assessed the drug sensitivity of mammospheres made from the MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cell (BC) line, the cells were cultured in mammosphere medium for 3 weeks and mammospheres generated were harvested on day 7, day 14 and day 21 for further analysis. Some CSC markers (CD 133 and ALDH+) were determined by FASC analysis and data obtained demonstrated that the mammospheres over expressed these stem cell marker when compared to the MDA-MB-468 attached cells. MTT cytotoxicity studies showed that the mammospheres were notably resistant to four chemotherapeutic drugs (cisplatin (CDDP), vincristine (VCR), doxorubicin (DOX), and docetaxel (DOC) respectively) compared to the MDA-MB-468 attached cells. 96-well flat-bottomed microtiter plates with 5000 overnight-cultured cells per well exposed to drugs for 48 or 72 hours. Following 48 hours of treatment with docetaxel (DOC), 72 hours of CDDP, 48 hours of VCR, and 72 hours of DOX, the cells were put through a routine MTT assay data obtained demonstrated that MDA-MB-468 attached cells were more sensitive to these drugs having lower IC-50 while mammospheres were significantly resistant.

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