Investigating the anti-cancer potential of phytochemicals

• Main Author: Nawshein Shikkander
• Other Authors: Koh Cheng Gee
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/67357
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer among women across the world. The rapid disease progression has identified various subtypes, each having independent prognostic and therapeutic associations. The rising cost and the detrimental side effects of current day treatment have encouraged scientists to explore alternative therapeutic options for breast cancer. Plant derived phytochemicals have been a primary research target for decades. Its safe nature and relative abundance have been a driving factor in breast cancer therapeutics. The objective of this project was to investigate the anti-cancer potential of two soy derived phytochemicals; Daidzein and Genistein on subtype variant MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Results from MTT assay showed that proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells (ER-, PR- and HER2+) was inhibited by both the phytochemicals at both high and low drug concentrations. However, the phytochemicals displayed a biphasic response on the proliferation of MCF-7 (ER+, PR+ and HER2 -) cells. Results from transwell migration assay showed that migration of MDA-MB-231 cells was better inhibited by phytochemicals as opposed to MCF-7 cells. These results proved that phytochemicals exhibited subtype-dependent anti-cancer effects on varying breast cancer cells. Future studies include the validation of the results obtained, through characterization studies.