Abstract 4773: Synergistic effects of chitosan and docosahexanoic acid on osteopontin expression and secretion in an ovarian cancer cell line, SKOV-3

Abstract

Abstract Current treatment for the deadliest gynecological disease, ovarian cancer, is surgical debulking followed by chemotherapy or radiotherapy, but reoccurrence is still significantly high. Hence, there is a need for alternative treatments, and more specifically a natural therapeutic product. Recent studies have shown that natural products, such as chitosan and omega-3 fatty acids, inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. Osteopontin (OPN), a cell surface and secretory glycoprotein, has been implicated as an important biomarker for ovarian cancer. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of chitosan and DHA on OPN secretion and expression levels in an ovarian cancer cell line, SKOV-3 cells. We hypothesized that chitosan and DHA will decrease OPN expression in a dose-dependent manner. To test our hypothesis, SKOV-3 cells were treated with (a) 0 ng/mL, (b) 1% acetic acid; (c) 250 ng/mL of chitosan, (d) 100 µM of DHA, (e) 250 ng/mL of chitosan + 100 µM of DHA for 24 and 48 hours. Western Blot analysis and immunocytochemistry were performed to observe the expression and localization of OPN, while an ELISA was used to determine OPN secretion. Quantitative RT-PCR was also performed to determine OPN mRNA expression in the treated cells. Osteopontin (OPN) protein was localized on the surface of SKOV-3 cells and its expression decreased in both chitosan and DHA-treated cells. Furthermore in cells treated with both chitosan and DHA, there was an even greater decrease in OPN expression. The synergistic effects of chitosan and DHA suggest that these natural products may serve as potential natural treatment for ovarian cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4773. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4773