Quercetin Enhances Chemosensitivity in Gemcitabine-Treated MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells
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Tarih
2025
Dergi Başlığı
Dergi ISSN
Cilt Başlığı
Yayıncı
MARMARA UNIV, INST HEALTH SCIENCES
Erişim Hakkı
Özet
Objective: Breast cancer remains a major contributor to cancer-related mortality among women globally, posing a major challenge to women's health. Although chemotherapeutic agents such as gemcitabine (GEM) are widely used, their effectiveness is often limited by drug resistance and adverse side effects. Natural compounds like quercetin (Quer), a flavonoid with known anticancer properties, may enhance the chemosensitivity of cancer cells and reduce the toxicity associated with conventional chemotherapy. This study aimed to evaluate the combined effect of GEM and Quer on the viability, oxidative stress, and cytotoxicity in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Methods: MCF-7 cells were treated with varying concentrations of GEM (100-500 mu M) or Quer (25-400 mu M) for 24 hours to determine the minimum effective doses for combination treatment. Cell viability was assessed using standard viability assays. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured as indicators of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, respectively. Results: GEM alone did not significantly affect MCF-7 cell viability, while Quer at 50 mu M showed a modest cytotoxic effect. However, the combination of GEM and Quer significantly reduced cell viability and increased ROS and MDA levels (p < 0.05), indicating enhanced oxidative stress and cytotoxicity. Neither agent alone significantly altered ROS or MDA levels. Conclusion: The combination of GEM and Quer synergistically enhances cytotoxicity in MCF-7 breast cancer cells through oxidative stress mechanisms. These findings suggest that integrating natural compounds like quercetin into conventional chemotherapy regimens may offer more effective and less toxic treatment strategies for breast cancer, contributing to improved therapeutic outcomes and quality of life in women.
Açıklama
Anahtar Kelimeler
Women health, breast cancer, bioactive products
Kaynak
CLIN EXP HEALTH SCI
WoS Q Değeri
Scopus Q Değeri
Cilt
15
Sayı
4
