Treat Breast Cancer Cells by EGCG Using Nanoscale Technology and Other Methods - Literature review Example

Name Title Institution Date Treat Breast Cancer (MCF-7) Cells by EGCG using Nanoscale Technology and other Methods Cancer nanoscale technology has been insistently examined and instituted in managing and treating cancers such as breast cancer and it provides several latent benefits in cancer research ranging from targeting, elevated bioavailability as well as novel treatments. At present, nanoscale technology is being examined in cancer in the ability of the nanoparticles to be loaded with medications or imaging agents and then used in targeting cancer cells and also in high throughput nanosensor apparatus to detect the biological cancer signatures. Nanoscale technology and other methods have the capacity to engineer devices with treatment characteristics because they are tiny and thus the nanoparticles are able to penetrate cancer cells deeply with a high level of specificity (Barreto 2011, 24). According to Kattin (2009, Pg 2914) nanoscale technology uses nanoparticles to detect and treat diseases such as breast cancer. Nanoparticles are small fragments of metals or non-metals and they typically have varying characteristics when compared to naturally occurring bulk materials. Nanoparticles in size range of approximately 1-50 nanometers have similar size with antibodies, cells, viruses, and proteins. The semblance of the nanoparticles is what renders them useful in medical research such as treatment of cancer cells. Gold nanoparticles have numerous latent medical applications and one medical application breast cancer treatment where EGCG is used and gold nanoparticles are heated using oscillating magnetic fields following association with a targeted cancer cell (Katting 2009, Pg 2915). The EGCG is an antioxidant reduced chemical that is obtained from green tea. Limaye, Deb & Manjegowda (2014, pg 312) explain that EGCG, the main green tea polyphenol is a potential chemo-preventive or treatment for breast cancer. Studies with cell culture of breast carcinogenesis indicate that EGCG has anti-proliferative, anti-tumor, anti-invasive and anti-metastic characteristics. Additionally, studies on the effect of EGCG in regard to cell proliferation, cell death, migration and cell cycle indicate that EGCG is a potential treatment for breast cancer treatment (Limaye, Deb & Manjegowda 2014, Pg 312). Parida, Bindhani & Nayak (2011) examined the effect of 40 µM EGCG on mRNA expression levels of pS2 and PR, and breast cancer cells (MCF-7) cells were treated using 40 µM EGCG for 72 hours, the results indicated that increased quantities of pS2 and PR mRNA and significant decrease of MCF-7 cell viability was recorded. Therefore, the induction of pS2 and PR mRNA at 40 µM EGCG was as a result of gene expression. Limaye, Deb & Manjegowda (2014, Pg 312) support this study because their study found that EGCG can induce estrogenic responses during gene expression. This study showed that 40 µM EGCG can invoke the mRNA expression levels of pS2 as well as PR. Limaye, Deb & Manjegowda (2014, Pg 315) also demonstrated that EGCG together with trichostatin A (TSA) induces reactivation of ERα within the MDA-MB-231 cells by altering the ERα promoter. In this study, EGCG along with TSA were demonstrated to elevate the expression of PR mRNA. Additionally, higher consumption of green tea has been linked to an elevated expression of PR within patients with breast cancer. This therefore indicates that EGCG can have an impact on breast cancer cells (MCF-7) by affecting how estrogen regulated genes are expressed (Limaye, Deb & Manjegowda 2014, Pg 314). There is evidence that gold nanoparticles with Allium cepaextract (Allium cepa) from onion are quickly synthesized. A study conducted by Ankamwar (2010, Pg 21) stabilized the gold nanoparticles with aqueous chitosan solution and the nanoparticles were reduced by vitamin C in Allium cepaextract. The UV-visible spectra were measured at 540 nm and the nanoparticle’s surface was determined from the SEM. The viability of breast cancer cells post-internalization indicated that the phytochemical coating prevented the gold nanoparticles from being toxic to the MCF-7 cells. In this research, synthesis of gold nanoparticles was done with the Allium cepaextract, which was used as a reducing agent. The result of the study (from the TEM images) showed that the breast cancer cells treated using Allium cepaextract were active against the breast cancer cells. This is because there was considerable internalization of nanoparticles through endocytosis in the breast cancer cells. The internalization of nanoparticles in the breast cancer cells occurred through various processes which included, phagocytosis, fluid-phase endocytosis as well as receptor mediated endocytosis (Limaye, Deb & Manjegowda 2014, Pg 314). Gold nanoparticles produced through EGCG using nanoscale technology and other techniques show a high affinity for cancer cells and thus the methods are used in molecular imaging and treatment of cancer such breast cancer (Katti, et al., 2009, Pg 6). Several studies have showed that phytochemicals in green tea can penetrate the cell membrane and end up internalizing in the cellular medium. Cancer cells such as MCF-7 cells are extremely metabolic and porous naturally and they also internalize solutes quickly in comparison to normal cells. As a result, phytochemicals obtained from green tea and coated on nanoparticles exhibit internalization in cancer cells. Kuruwaki et al (2011) carried out a study on the cellular interacts and uptake studies through incubation of aliquots of T-AuNP-1 with breast cancer (MCF-7) cells. The result studies (TEM images) of breast cancer cells which had been treated with T-AuNP-1 showed that the phytochemicals from green tea were active against MCF-7 cells. This is because there was considerable internalization of nanoparticles through endocytosis in the breast cancer. The nanoparticles’ internalization occurred through phagocytosis, fluid-phase endocytosis, and receptor-mediated endocytosis. Internalization of the gold nanoparticles therefore provides an opportunity to probe cellular processes through nanoparticulate-mediated imaging and hence providing an opportunity to use the gold nanoparticles in treatment of breast cancer cells (Kuruwaki et al, 2011, Pg 392). As Mousa (2011, Pg 24) explains, green tea has large quantities of antioxidant polyphenols as well as flavonoids, and catechins, all of which attack the precarious free radicals within thebody and hence preventing progression of numerous diseases such as breast cancer. EGCG attacks superoxide anion radicals, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radicals, peroxyl radicals, singlet oxygen, as well as peroxynitrite. Polyphenolic flavonoids in green tea where EGCG is present in large quantities possess anticarcinogenic activityin vitro, which supports the results of epidemiological research on the link between consuming green tea and the risk of death from breast cancer (Mousa 2011, Pg 25). Paclitaxel is a potent anticancer agent that has shown activity against breast cancer in human beings (Mukhtar, et al 2012, Pg 12). Paclitaxel is not soluble in water and has been extensively used in drug delivery. A study by Mukhtar, et al (2012, Pg 14) showed that in drug sensitive breast cancer cells (MCF-7 cells), loading of paclitaxel in both SSMM (P-SSMM) and SSMM-VIP (P-SSMM-VIP) considerable stopped cell growth in a dose-dependent fashion which shows that paclitaxel can be used in breast cancer treatment (Mukhtar, et al 2012, Pg 14). Curcumin is another bioactive food agent that has received extensive study in nanotechnology. Curcumin has low bioavailability due to its poor oral absorption and it is quickly metabolized within the liver and intestines. Basically, nanocarriers have the ability to elevate the solubility of curcumin and reduce the biotransformation rate. A study by Barreto (2011) showed robust uptake of curcumin-loaded nanospheres in breast cancer cells. This study also demonstrated that curcumin inhibits the cell growth of breast cancer cells. In this study, the efficiency of a nano-formulated curcumin in cancer treatment was tested where it was observed that optimized curcumin nano-formulation, in comparison to free curcumin, had two-fold and six-fold increases in uptake by metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Production of nanoparticles under nontoxic green tea conditions is very essential because it provides a solution to the increasing concerns on the toxicity of nanoparticles in treatment of various diseases such as breast cancer. The phytochemicals are able induce various chemical changes in the biological systems. Apart from EGCG, which is well documented in its ability to induce chemical changes in cancerous cells, large quantities of genistein which is readily available in soya beans acts as a phytoestrogen as well as a strong antioxidant and thus can cause cell proliferation, cell death, migration and cell cycle which shows that genistein from soya bean indicate is a potential treatment for breast cancer treatment (Limaye, Deb & Manjegowda 2014, Pg 312). Cited Works Ankamwar, B. (2010). Biosynthesis ofGold Nanoparticles (Green-Gold) Using Leaf Extract of Terminalia Catappa. E-Journal of Chemistry.7 (4): 1334-1339. Barreto JA, O’Malley W, Kubeil M, Graham B, Stephan H, Spiccia L. (2011). Nanomaterials: applications in cancer imaging and therapy. Adv Mater. 23(12):H18–40. Chamcheu, J, Adhami, V, Siddiqui, I & Bharali, D. (2009). Nanoparticle delivery of natural products in the prevention and treatment of cancers: current status and future prospects. J. Mater. Chem.19, (2). DOI: 10.1039/b822015h. Katti, et al., (2009). Green Nanotechnology from Tea: Phytochemicals in Tea as Building Blocks for Production of Biocompatible Gold Nanoparticles. J Mater Chem. 19(19): 2912–2920. DOI:  10.1039/b822015h. Kurawaki, J, Okamura, H, Ahmmad, B & Leornad,K. (2010). In situ green synthesis of biocompatible ginseng capped gold nanoparticles with remarkable stability. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 1;82(2):391-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2010.09.020. Limaye, A, Deb, G, Manjegodwa, C. (2014). Epigallocatechin gallate induces the steady state mRNA levels of pS2 and PR genes in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology. 52(1): 312-316. Mousa, S, Mukhtar, H & Aldahmash, A. (2011). The Pharmaceutical Research Institute at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 1 Discovery Drive, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA. Cancers. 3(4):4024-45. DOI: 10.3390/cancers3044024. Mukhtar, H, Chamcheu, J, Adhami,V & Siddiqui. (2012). Impact of nanotechnology in cancer: emphasis on nanochemoprevention. J Nanomedicine. 7: 591–605. DOI:  10.2147/IJN.S26026. Read More