Aloe emodin regulates the suppression of breast cancer cell proliferation via calcium signalling / Mohd Ridzuan Hamid

Deregulation of Ca2+ signaling is one of the characteristics of breast cancer cells. Our preliminary findings have demonstrated antiproliferative effects of aloe emodin (AE), anthraquinone extract of Aloe barbadensis Miller on breast cancer cells, MCF-7. However, the influence of Ca2+ regulation in AE-treated breast cancer cells is not well known. Therefore, this study was done to discover the intracellular calcium dynamics of AE-suppressed proliferation in breast cancer cells, MCF-7. Cell viability after AE treatment for 1, 6 and 12 hours on MCF-7 cells were studied using trypan blue exclusion method. Intracellular calcium study was done by loading the MCF-7 cells with calcium specific fluorescent dye Fluo4-AM for 45 minutes and the fluo4 intensity changes over time were recorded using confocal laser scanning microscope. Fluorescence intensity was measured for untreated cells, Thapsigargin (TG) and AE treated cells. TG was used as positive control in this study as it is known to result in high cytosolic Ca2+ dynamics. Throughout cell viability determination, there is no significant cell death for all time points.