Whey Processed Oxymel induces apoptosis and S-phase arrest in MCF7 and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells

Breast cancer remains a major global health challenge, highlighting the need for safer and more effective therapeutic agents. This study demonstrates that goat-derived Whey Processed Oxymel (WPO) induces apoptosis, oxidative stress modulation, and cell cycle arrest in both MCF7 and MDA-MB-468 triple-negative breast cancer cells (TNBC). MDA-MB-468 and MCF7 breast cancer cells were treated with WPO, and cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay. Apoptosis was measured via Annexin V/PI staining and flow cytometry. Caspase-3/7 activity, cell cycle distribution, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH) levels were also evaluated. WPO treatment resulted in a significant dose- and time-dependent decrease in the viability of MDA-MB-468 and MCF7 cells. The Annexin V/PI assay confirmed that WPO induced marked apoptosis in both cancer cell lines. Caspase-3/7 activity was increased, and S-phase cell cycle arrest was observed in both cell lines, with minimal effect on normal HFF cells. WPO reduced GSH in both cell types and significantly increased ROS in MDA-MB-468 cells. These findings indicate that WPO exhibits selective anticancer activity against breast cancer cell lines under in vitro conditions, with minimal toxicity to normal fibroblasts. While promising, these results require validation in in vivo models to assess bioavailability, toxicity, and therapeutic efficacy.