Actions of melatonin and ionizing radiation on proteins related with angiogenesis in human breast cancer cells

• Grant number: 14/22616-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 04, 2014
• End date: January 03, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Debora Aparecida Pires de Campos Zuccari
• Grantee: Alberto Luís Patriarcha
• Supervisor: Samuel Cos Corral
• 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
• Institution abroad: Universidad de Cantabria (UC), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 14/00280-6 - Value of diagnosis and prognosis of serum concentration of melatonin in women with breast Cancer, BP.IC

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common and major cause of death by this disease among women worldwide. Many studies are being conducted to factors that control growth, death and cell proliferation besides angiogenesis. VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) is essential for the creation of new blood vessels and has been associated with tumor growth and proliferation. On the other hand, Angiostatin is an inhibitor of neovascularization by acting in inhibiting the migration and proliferation of endothelial cells and promoting the apoptosis. Exogenous administration of melatonin, a natural hormone produced and secreted by the pineal gland, can inhibit tumor growth in vivo and in vitro and sensitizes human breast cancer cells to ionizing radiation. Therefore, the aim of this project is to evaluate the effects of a combination of radiotherapy and melatonin on the expression of some proteins related to angiogenesis (VEGF, VEGFR2, VEGFR3) and angiostatin in human breast cancer cells. (AU)