Аннотация:
Background: Recent studies have revealed the positive antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects of antiviral agents in
cancer treatment. The real effect of adjuvant antiviral therapy is still controversial due to the lack of studies in biochemical
mechanisms. Here, we studied the effect of the antiviral agent acyclovir on morphometric and migratory features of the
MCF7 breast cancer cell line. Molecular levels of various proteins have also been examined.
Methods: To evaluate and assess the effect of antiviral treatment on morphometric, migratory and other cellular
characteristics of MCF7 breast cancer cells, the following experiments were performed: (i) MTT assay to measure the
viability of MCF7 cells; (ii) Colony formation ability by soft agar assay; (iii) Morphometric characterization by
immunofluorescent analysis using confocal microscopy; (iv) wound healing and transwell membrane assays to
evaluate migration and invasion capacity of the cells; (v) ELISA colorimetric assays to assess expression levels of caspase-3,
E-cadherin and enzymatic activity of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH).
Results: We demonstrate the suppressive effect of acyclovir on breast cancer cells. Acyclovir treatment decreases the
growth and the proliferation rate of cells and correlates with the upregulated levels of apoptosis associated cytokine
Caspase-3. Moreover, acyclovir inhibits colony formation ability and cell invasion capacity of the cancer cells while
enhancing the expression of E-cadherin protein in MCF7 cells. Breast cancer cells are characterized by high
ALDH activity and associated with upregulated proliferation and invasion. According to this study, acyclovir
downregulates ALDH activity in MCF7 cells.
Conclusions: These results are encouraging and demonstrate the possibility of partial suppression of cancer
cell proliferation using an antiviral agent. Acyclovir antiviral agents have a great potential as an adjuvant therapy in the
cancer treatment. However, more research is necessary to identify relevant biochemical mechanisms by which acyclovir
induces a potent anti-cancer effect.