Honors Theses
Date of Award
2017
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery
First Advisor
Asok Dasmahapatra
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
In previous experiments, the steroidal saponin, dioscin, which was extracted from the roots of the wild yam (Dioscorea villosa), was observed to have potent anti-proliferative effects on the human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Dioscin was also able to activate the transcription of tumor suppressor genes GATA3 and CDH1 in these cell lines. We hypothesize that the anti-proliferative effect of dioscin on human breast cancer cells could be mediated through the epigenome. Consequently, in order to explore this hypothesis, we have analyzed the expression of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) protein in these cells. MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with differing concentrations of dioscin, as well as a 1μM concentration of the known DNMT1 inhibitor, 5-azacytidine. Protein lysate was collected from these cells and was then subjected to Western blot analysis. Both dioscin and 5-azacytidine decreased protein expression of the DNMT isoform with a molecular weight of 145 kDa. It may be concluded that dioscin has potential DNMT1 inhibiting ability, but whether or not this ability directly contributes to dioscin's anti-proliferative effects and the activation of the tumor suppressor genes GATA3 and CDH1 remains to be seen.
Recommended Citation
Means, David Andrew, "Effects of Dioscin on DNA Methyltransferase 1 Protein Expression in Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines" (2017). Honors Theses. 256.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/256
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