Background & objective: This study was conducted to investigate the altered gene expression of MCF-7 cell before and after the treatment with beta-carotene using cDNA microarray and to investigate the mechanism which beta-carotene induce breast cancer cell apoptosis.
Methods: Two fluorescence cDNA probes were made using reverse transcriptional reaction from mRNA of beta-carotene untreated or treated MCF-7 cells (human estrogen receptor positive breast cancer cells), marked with two different fluorescence dyes (cy3 and cy5) respectively, hybridized with expressed cDNA microarray scanned and analyzed by computer system and finally the expressed gene was produced.
Results: A total of 21 genes related to cell apoptosis, cell signal transduction, protein translation and immunity were expressed differently after the treatment of beta-carotene, which 3/21 were up-regulated (AF040958, AK001555,g41894),18/21 were down- regulated(hshsp90r,U83857,AB014509,AF126028,AF053641,AF117386,AF050127,NM_012177,humtopi,AJ250915,U37547,U78798,NM_004849,NM_005346,AF004711,NM_006595,NM_001418,AB015051).
Conclusion: beta-carotene may inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells through inducing apoptosis,breaking signal transduction,and blocking protein translation.