Evaluation of the expression of proteins involved in tumor progression in breast Cancer lines under hypoxia and treated with melatonin

• Grant number: 13/08306-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2013
• End date: December 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Debora Aparecida Pires de Campos Zuccari
• Grantee: Mateus Repolês Lourenço
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP). Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Econômico (São Paulo - Estado). São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women, and the principal cause of the patient's death is tumoral growth and metastasis development. The tumor's uncontrolled growth can lead to hypoxia and to consequent liberation of growth factors, angiogenic factors, and certain cytokines which modulate the immune response, stimulating the cell's growth and differentiation, the formation of new blood vessels, and the release from the immunologic response. Some works have shown that the introduction of exogenous melatonin, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland, has oncostatin effects, and can inhibit angiogenesis and the tumor's progression. So, the main objective of this study is to evaluate, in a general and simultaneous way, the effects of the melatonin's treatment, after inducing hypoxia, in the expression of ten proteins involved with breast cancer development. Initially, the cell's viability will be checked by the MTT assay after the treatments, and the protein expression will be checked with the Cytokine Antibody Array technique. The data obtained from this study will be able to provide indications for the use of melatonin as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of breast cancer, decreasing the tumor's growth and progression. (AU)