目前針對花生四烯酸(arachidonic acid,AA C20:4 ω6)的研究指出,AA在細胞中具有兩種截然不同的功能。一為增加氧化壓而導致細胞凋亡,另一方面則具有促使細胞增生、乃至癌化之現象。然而現今對AA在乳癌細胞上的作用並不清楚。因此本實驗之目的為:以人類乳腺癌細胞,MCF-7,為材料,探討AA是否會引發乳癌細胞進行凋亡。實驗方法為:利用2% FBS DMEM中補充不同濃度之AA處理六小時,檢測其影響。 結果發現:給予MCF-7細胞0、10、25、50、100、200 μM 的AA處理六小時後,可改變MCF-7細胞中各脂肪酸之比例。其中AA佔總脂肪酸的比例可由控制組(AA 0 μM)之7.4%上升至給予50 μM時的15%,但超過50 μM之後,AA在細胞中之比例則不再增加。若分別給予0、10、50、100 μM的AA處理六小時後,相較於控制組,AA的處理並不會改變MCF-7細胞的存活率。以流式細胞儀偵測給予0、10、50、100 μM的AA處理四、六、八、十六小時後的粒線體膜電位,發現MCF-7細胞之粒線體膜電位並未出現去極化現象。同時給予MCF-7細胞處理0、10、50、100 μM 的AA六小時後,與細胞凋亡相關之酵素:caspase-7與caspase-9均無顯著增加。 本實驗結果證明,在人類乳腺癌細胞上,給予AA處理六小時內並不會造成其存活率之下降,也不會影響細胞凋亡之兩項指標:粒線體膜電位去極化、以及procaspase-7、procaspase-9的活化。顯示AA對於人類乳腺癌細胞並無引發細胞凋亡的效果。
Arachidonic acid (20:4ω6, AA) may involve the cell proliferation or apoptosis shown in many studies. However, it is still unknown whether AA could induce apoptosis in MCF-7, a human breast cancer cell lines. The aim of this study was to investigate effect of AA on apoptosis in MCF-7. Cells was cultured in DMEM with 2% FBS for 42 hours, followed by AA supplementation for 6 hours. It was found that the AA level in MCF-7 was increased from 7.4% of total fatty acid up to 15% with the increasing AA supplementation to 50 μM. However, the viability of MCF-7 was not changed compared with controls with 10, 50, and 100 μM AA supplementation. The mitochondrial membrane potential was not altered in MCF-7 supplemented with 10, 50, and 100 μM AA for 4, 6, 8 or 16 hours. The activation of procaspase-7 and procaspase-9 were not increased with the increasing AA treatment. In conclusion, the increased AA level in MCF-7 did not change its viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, caspase-7 and caspase-9.