Objective: To determine the effect of cell apoptosis induced by c9, t11-conjugated linoleic acid was investigated in human mammary cancer cells (MCF-7), which were treated with various c9, t11-CLA concentrations (25, 50, 100 and 200 mumol/L), with a negative control.
Methods: In this study, the methods of the curve of cell growth, cell apoptosis detecting in fluorescent and electronic microscope and flow cytometry, and expression of p53 protein were employed.
Results: The cell growth of MCF-7 cells was inhibited by c9, t11-CLA. Eight day after treatment with various concentrations of c9, t11-CLA, as mentioned above, the inhibition rates were -6.0%, 45.2%, 99.0% and 99.4%, respectively. Apoptotic cells of morphology from MCF-7 cells treated by different concentrations of c9, t11-CLA were observed by fluorescent and electronic microscope and the frequency of apoptosis in MCF-7 cells by flow cytometry showed increasingly with concentrations of c9, t11-CLA increased. While the expression of p53 protein in MCF-7 cells was decreased with the doses of c9, t11-CLA increased.
Conclusion: c9, t11-CLA can induce the effect of apoptosis in MCF-7 cells and its may be one of mechanisms for the inhibitory effect of c9, t11-CLA in human cancer cells.