Toxoplasma gondii destroys Her2/Neu-expressing mammary cancer cells in vitro using a continuous feed medium approach

Authors

  • Esra Atalay Şahar Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey
  • Mert Döşkaya Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey
  • Muhammet Karakavuk Ödemiş Vocational School, Ege University, Ödemiş, İzmir, Turkey
  • Hüseyin Can Molecular Biology Section, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey
  • Aytül Gül Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey
  • Adnan Yüksel Gürüz Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey
  • Aysu Değirmenci Döşkaya Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey
  • Levent Yeniay Breast Cancer Unit, Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.12820

Keywords:

Toxoplasma gondii, cancer, breast cancer, in vitro, Her2/Neu, TUBO

Abstract

Introduction: Toxoplasma gondii is an opportunistic protozoan and can be grown using several human cell lines. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Her2/Neu-expressing mammary cancer cell lines called TUBO can be grown in vitro. In recent years, protozoan parasites have become popular means of use in cancer therapy research. In this study, we analyzed whether T. gondii tachyzoites can destroy TUBO cells using a novel continuous feed medium approach.

Methodology: Two sets of flasks (each containing four groups) containing TUBO cells were inoculated with T. gondii Ankara strain tachyzoites. First set containing 5×106 TUBO cells were inoculated with TUBO-tachyzoite ratios of 1:2, 1:1, 2:1, and 4:1 and second set containing 1×106 TUBO cells were inoculated with TUBO-tachyzoite ratios of 10:1, 100:1, 1000:1, and 2000:1. Thereafter, culture supernatants were harvested at various days until TUBO cells were destroyed and tachyzoites were counted.

Results: In the first and second sets of flasks, TUBO cells were destroyed between days 8 to 12 and 12 to 25, respectively. In addition, the amount of tachyzoites increased 7- 43 and 595 to 112500 times in the first and second set of flasks, respectively.

Conclusions: These results show that T. gondii tachyzoites successfully destroy Her2/Neu-expressing mammary cancer cells using a continuous feed medium approach. Although this idea may be too premature for the moment, the approach defined herein may support future researchers investigating the relationship between cancer and parasites which can make important progress toward saving cancer patient lives.

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Published

2020-10-31

How to Cite

1.
Atalay Şahar E, Döşkaya M, Karakavuk M, Can H, Gül A, Gürüz AY, Değirmenci Döşkaya A, Yeniay L (2020) Toxoplasma gondii destroys Her2/Neu-expressing mammary cancer cells in vitro using a continuous feed medium approach. J Infect Dev Ctries 14:1204–1209. doi: 10.3855/jidc.12820

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Original Articles