Background: Breast cancer cells over-express the adenosine receptor A1 and in most of these cells, P53 gene is a wild type. Because of this finding and relationship between A1 receptor and cell apoptosis and proliferation, this study aimed to determine the effect of agonist and antagonist of A1 receptor on cell apoptosis and proliferation and recognize the relationship between this receptor and P53 expression.
Methods: We used a Real-Time PCR test for measuring expression of p53 gene also flow cytometry assay for apoptotic and survival cell rate after treatment of MCF-7 cells with A1 receptor agonist CPA (N6-Cyclopentyladenosine) and A1 receptor antagonist DPCPX (1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine) in 24,48 and 72 hours.
Results: Our flow cytometry findings indicate that DPCPX significantly induces apoptosis in MCF-7. Also the expression of P53 becomes upregulated with time of DPCPX treatment. CPA treatment increased the survival cell rate and down-regulated this apoptosis-relevant gene P53 (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: DPCPX can induce P53 expression which consequently promotes the cell apoptosis in MCF-7. Therefore, DPCPX could be used as an anti-cancer agent (Tab. 1, Fig. 3, Ref. 5).
Keywords: MCF-7 cells.; adenosine A1; apoptosis; gene; p53; receptor.