Effect of amniotic membrane proteins in human cancer cell lines: an exploratory study

Human amniotic membrane (hAM) has recently drawn attention as an upcoming anti-cancer therapy. Regarding the strategies which have already investigated, little is known about hAM protein extracts (hAMPE) effect on cancer. So, this work aims to study the effect of hAMPE in metabolic activity of several human cancer cell lines. hAMPE were mechanically obtained, thus avoiding the effect of detergents and other reagents commonly used in protein extraction under the cell lines studied. After quantification of proteins in hAMPE, their effect on the metabolic activity of 21 human cancer cell lines was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthia-zolyl-2)2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Our results indicate that there is an inhibition of metabolic activity until 25 and 50% in two and seven cell lines, respectively. Five cell lines proved to be very sensitive to hAMPE, being its metabolic activity more than 50% inhibited. Our results show that hAMPE can inhibit the metabolic activity of some human cancer cell lines. However, research about this cell line-dependent response to hAMPE becomes indispensable.