Evaluating Anticancer and Immunomodulatory Effects of Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis and Gamma-Tocotrienol Supplementation in a Syngeneic Mouse Model of Breast Cancer.

Hemavathy Subramaiam,Kanga Rani Selvaduray,Ammu Kutty Radhakrishnan,Wan-Loy Chu,Yih-Yih Kok,Srikumar Chakravarthi

doi:10.3390/nu13072320

Abstract

Nutrition can modulate host immune responses as well as promote anticancer effects. In this study, two nutritional supplements, namely gamma-tocotrienol (γT3) and Spirulina, were evaluated for their immune-enhancing and anticancer effects in a syngeneic mouse model of breast cancer (BC). Five-week-old female BALB/c mice were fed Spirulina, γT3, or a combination of Spirulina and γT3 (Spirulina + γT3) for 56 days. The mice were inoculated with 4T1 cells into their mammary fat pad on day 28 to induce BC. The animals were culled on day 56 for various analyses. A significant reduction (p < 0.05) in tumor volume was only observed on day 37 and 49 in animals fed with the combination of γT3 + Spirulina. There was a marked increase (p < 0.05) of CD4/CD127+ T-cells and decrease (p < 0.05) of T-regulatory cells in peripheral blood from mice fed with either γT3 or Spirulina. The breast tissue of the combined group showed abundant areas of necrosis, but did not prevent metastasis to the liver. Although there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) of MIG-6 and Cadherin 13 expression in tumors from γT3-fed animals, there were no significant (p > 0.05) differences in the expression of MIG-6, Cadherin 13, BIRC5, and Serpine1 upon combined feeding. This showed that combined γT3 + Spirulina treatment did not show any synergistic anticancer effects in this study model.

Highlights

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer among women
CD73 enzyme compared to the control group. These findings indicate that Spirulina supplementation may have induced immune protective effects against BC as there was an increase in IL-7 secreting Th cells, promoting the production of pro-inflammatory and lymphocyte growth cytokines to enhance immune activity [49,50]
Combination of γT3 and Spirulina did not cause any significant differences in body weight, and there was no consistent suppression of tumor volume observed

Summary

Introduction

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer among women. It is estimated that627,000 women worldwide died from this disease in 2018 alone [1]. Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer among women. 627,000 women worldwide died from this disease in 2018 alone [1]. Breast carcinoma can be stratified into different entities based on clinical behavior, histological features, and biological properties [2]. Some of the risk factors associated with BC include genetics [3], obesity [4], hormone replacement therapy [4], and having no children or having them after the age of 30 [5]. Symptoms of BC include swelling, redness or other visible differences in one or both breasts such as an increase in size or change in the shape of the breast, presence of lumps, and nipple discharge other than breast milk [6].

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