Epidermal Growth Factor and Adenosine Triphosphate Induce Natrium Iodide Symporter Expression in Breast Cancer Cell...

This study aims to investigate the effect of ATP, EGF and combination of those two to the Natrium Iodide Symporter (NIS) expression in MCF7, SKBR3 and HaCaT cell lines.

MCF7, SKBR3 and HaCaT cell lines were treated with ATP, EGF and combination of those two for 6, 12 and 24 hours. The expression of NIS mRNA was measured through quantitative-reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The NIS protein expression was confirmed by immunocytofluorescence.

NIS mRNA was expressed in SKBR3 and HaCaT cell lines but not in MCF7. The levels of NIS mRNA expression, after treatment by epidermal growth factor (EGF), adenosine Tri-Phosphate (ATP) or the combination of both for 6 and 12 hours were not significantly different from those of untreated cells. However, the treatment by a combination of ATP and EGF for 24 hours increases the level of NIS mRNA expression by 1.6 fold higher than that of the untreated cells (1.6241 ± 0.3, p < 0.05) and protein NIS expression increase significantly by the treatment than untreated cells (P < 0.05).

The level of NIS expression varies among the different subtypes of breast cancer cell lines. MCF7 cell line is representing the luminal A subtype of breast cancer does not express NIS. Only SKBR3 cell line express NIS and this subtype might be suitable to receive radioiodine therapy as those cells expressing NIS. A combination treatment of EGF and ATP increases the expression of NIS mRNA and protein at the membrane in SKBR3 cells.