Effect of vitamin E succinate on the proliferation of human breast cancer cells

Objective:To investigate the growth inhibition and apoptosis induced by vitamin E succinate (VES) on human breast cancer cells and to analyze the possible mechanism in this process. Methods : Human breast cancer cell line Bcap-37 was treated with VES for 12 , 24 and 48 h at the concentrations of 5, 10 and 20 μg/ml. Then MTT assay was employed to detect the inhibitory effect of VES on the growth of breast cancer cells. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the cell cycle and apoptosis. To find out whether the Fas/FasL pathway was involved in this process, RT-PCR and flow cytometry assay were used to detect the Fas expression at the mRNA and protein level. Results: VES exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of human breast cancer cells, presenting in a dose- and time-dependant manner. The apoptotic rate of Bcap-37 cells was 0. 6% , rose to 21. 0% and 37. 5% after treated with VES for 24 and 48 h at the concentration of 20 μg/ml. Fas mRNA transcription was upregulated after VES treatment and cell surface Fas expression increased according to the flow cytometry assay. Conclusion : Significant growth inhibition and apoptosis are induced in human breast cancer cells after treated with VES. The modulation of Fas/FasL pathway may related to the upregulation of Fas molecule on the cancer cell surface.