TITLE:
Action of the Disintegrin Contortrostatin on Breast Cancer Cell Primary Cultures
AUTHORS:
Ifigeneia Marinou, Sophia Havaki, Nikos Goutas, Dimitrios Vlachodimitropoulos, Georgios Baltatzis, Eumorphia G. Konstantakou, Dimitrios J. Stravopodis, Dimitrios G. Koudoumas, Evangelos Marinos, Mirsini Kouloukoussa
KEYWORDS:
Breast Cancer; Disintegrins; Contortrostatin; Integrin Alphavbeta3; Apoptosis; Primary Cultures
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Breast Cancer Research,
Vol.2 No.4,
September
27,
2013
ABSTRACT: Integrins mediate cell adhesion to the extracellular
matrix (ECM). In particular, integrin alphavbeta3 recognizes the RGD motif as a
ligand-binding site on various extracellular molecules of the extracellular
matrix. Integrin aphavbeta3 has been associated with high malignant potential
in breast cancer cells, and has signalized the onset of
widespread metastasis. In recent years, several antagonists of integrin
alphavbeta3, including snake venom disintegrins, have been used as potential
anti-cancer agents. In the present work, the effect of
contortrostatin, a disintegrin isolated from the venom of the snake Agkistrodon contortrix, was
studied on primary cultures of human breast cancer cell. Scanning and transmission
electron microscopy were employed in order to examine alterations in cell
morphology and fluorescent microscopy and visualize changes in distribution of
integrin alphavbeta3 and talin. Fluorescent localization of caspase 8 was made
in order to visualize any sign of proapoptotosis and western immunoblotting of
integrin, talin and annexin was undertaken in order to identify changes. The
results suggest that the snake venom contortrostatin seriously affects cell morphology,
adhesion and mobility and induces breast cancer cells to apoptosis.