Effect of teicoplanin on the expression of c-myc and c-fos proto-oncogenes in MCF-7 breast cancer cell line

BACKGROUND: Teicoplanin is a member of vancomycin-ristocetin family of glycopeptide antibiotics. It mediated wound healing by increasing neovascularization possibly through activation of MAP kinase signaling pathway. The aim of this study is an evaluation of c-myc and c-fos genes expression after treatment of cells by teicoplanin and determines whether this glycopeptide antibiotic exerts its proliferation effects by influencing the expression of these genes. Hence, this study was designed to elucidate one possible mechanism underlying teicoplanin effects on cell proliferation using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Breast cancer cell line, MCF-7, was cultured, and three different concentrations of teicoplanin were added to the plates. We measured the cell proliferation rate by MTT assay. After cell harvesting, total RNA was extracted to synthesize single-stranded cDNA. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed, and the data were analyzed. RESULTS: It was observed that the level of c-fos and c-myc genes’ expressions was decreased at all three different concentrations of teicoplanin. CONCLUSION: it could be concluded that although teicoplanin is considered as an enhancing cell growth and proliferation, but probably its effect is not through MAP kinase signaling pathway or perhaps even has inhibitory effect on the expression of some genes such as c-myc and c-fos in this pathway. Hence, the mechanism of action of teicoplanin for increasing cell propagation, through cell signaling pathways or chromosomal abnormalities, remains unclear, and further studies should be conducted.