PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - STEFANIA PACINI
AU  - TIZIANA PUNZI
AU  - GABRIELE MORUCCI
AU  - MASSIMO GULISANO
AU  - MARCO RUGGIERO
TI  - Effects of Vitamin D-binding Protein-derived Macrophage-activating Factor on Human Breast Cancer Cells
DP  - 2012 Jan 01
TA  - Anticancer Research
PG  - 45--52
VI  - 32
IP  - 1
4099  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/32/1/45.short
4100  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/32/1/45.full
SO  - Anticancer Res2012 Jan 01; 32
AB  - Background: Searching for additional therapeutic tools to fight breast cancer, we investigated the effects of vitamin D-binding protein-derived macrophage activating factor (DBP-MAF, also known as GcMAF) on a human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). Materials and Methods: The effects of DBP-MAF on proliferation, morphology, vimentin expression and angiogenesis were studied by cell proliferation assay, phase-contrst microscopy, immunohistochemestry and western blotting, and chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Results: DBP-MAF inhibited human breast cancer cell proliferation and cancer cell-stimulated angiogenesis. MCF-7 cells treated with DBP-MAF predominantly grew in monolayer and appeared to be well adherent to each other and to the well surface. Exposure to DBP-MAF significantly reduced vimentin expression, indicating a reversal of the epithelial/mesenchymal transition, a hallmark of human breast cancer progression. Conclusion: These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the known anticancer efficacy of DBP-MAF can be ascribed to different biological properties of the molecule that include inhibition of tumour-induced angiogenesis and direct inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, migration and metastatic potential.