pDNA-tachyplesin treatment stimulates the immune system and increases the probability of apoptosis in MC4-L2 tumor cells

Q: What therapeutic approach does the study evaluate?

The study evaluates pDNA-tachyplesin treatment, where a synthetic tachyplesin nucleotide sequence is delivered using the pcDNA3.1(+) mammalian expression vector.

Q: How was the vector accuracy and transfection performance assessed?

Vector accuracy was evaluated by PCR analysis and enzyme digesting procedures. Transfection efficiency was measured in MCF-7 and MCF10-A cells, yielding 57% and 65%, respectively.

Q: What effects does pDNA/tachyplesin have in tumor-bearing mice?

pDNA/tachyplesin did not cause discernible morbidity or mortality during treatment, but it reduced body weight at the 100 µg/ml dose and increased specific immune cell populations in lymph nodes and spleen.

Sep 21, 2026

Upload by Emma Wilson

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, and marine creatures are presented as a rich reservoir of anticancer medicines. Tachyplesin peptides show antibacterial activity, yet their ability to suppress tumor growth and induce cancer cell death remained unclear. A synthetic tachyplesin nucleotide sequence was inserted into the pcDNA3.1(+) vector, and accuracy was verified by PCR and enzyme digestion. Transfection efficiencies in MCF-7 and MCF10-A cells were 57% and 65%, respectively. pDNA/tachyplesin suppressed MCF-7 proliferation without noticeable morbidity or mortality in tumor-bearing mice. Treated animals showed reduced body weight at 100 µg/ml and increased CD4+Foxp3+ Tregs, CD8+Foxp3+ Tregs, and CTLA-4-expressing T cells. caspase-3, caspase-8, BAX, PI3K, STAT3, and JAK were upregulated, suggesting pDNA/tachyplesin can target malignancies by activating mTOR and NFκB signaling pathways.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

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Pages17

Reading Time43 min

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Abstract

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Introduction

Amino Acids (2024) 56:34 [https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-024-03393-7](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-024-03393-7) pDNA‑tachyplesin treatment stimulates the immune system and increases the probability of apoptosis in MC4‑L2 tumor cells Fatemeh Mahmoudi‑Filabadi1 · Abbas Doosti2 Received: 11 February 2024 / Accepted: 6 April 2024 / Published online: 1 May 2024 © The Author(s) 2024 Abstract Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, and marine creatures are the most abundant reservoir of anticancer medicines. Tachyplesin peptides have shown antibacterial capabilities, but their potential to inhibit cancer growth and trigger cancer cell death has not been investigated. A synthetic tachyplesin nucleotide sequence was generated and inserted into the pcDNA3.1( +) Mammalian Expression Vector. PCR analysis and enzyme digesting procedures were used to evaluate the vectors' accuracy. The transfection efficiency of MCF-7 and MCF10-A cells was 57% and 65%, respectively. The proliferation of MCF-7 cancer cells was markedly suppressed. Administration of plasmid DNA (pDNA) combined with tachyplesin to mice with tumors did not cause any discernible morbidity or mortality throughout treatment. The final body weight curves revealed a significant reduction in weight among mice treated with pDNA/tachyplesin and tachyplesin at a dose of 100 µg/ml (18.4 ± 0.24 gr, P < 0.05; 11.4 ± 0.24 gr P < 0.01) compared to the control group treated with PBS (22 ± 0.31 gr) . Animals treated with pDNA/tachyplesin and tachyplesin exhibited a higher percentage of CD4 + Foxp3 + Tregs, CD8 + Foxp3 + Tregs, and CD4 + and CD8 + T cell populations expressing CTLA-4 in their lymph nodes and spleen compared to the PBS group. The groups that received pDNA/tachyplesin exhibited a substantial upregulation in the expression levels of caspase-3, caspase-8, BAX, PI3K, STAT3, and JAK genes. The results offer new possibilities for treating cancer by targeting malignancies using pDNA/tachyplesin and activating the mTOR and NFκB signaling pathways. Keywords Breast cancer · Tachyplesin · Signaling pathways · Immune response Introduction Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies in women. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (I.A.R.C.) reported that breast cancer was responsible for about 0.62 million fatalities in 2018 (Harwansh and Deshmukh 2020) . Based on current projections, the number of occurrences is expected to rise to 3.05 million, and the death toll is estimated to reach over 7 million by 2040 (Harwansh Handling editor: P. Teng. * Abbas Doosti [abbasdoosti@yahoo.com](abbasdoosti@yahoo.com); [doostiabbas2021@gmail.com](doostiabbas2021@gmail.com) 1 Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran 2 Biotechnology Research Center, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran and Deshmukh 2020) . The typical treatment methods for cancer include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgical intervention (Burstein et al. 2021) . Traditional cancer treatment is associated with several adverse effects and often affects multiple organs. M.D.R. , or multidrug resistance, may occur due to the excessive production of membrane transporters. These transporters can remove anticancer medications from within the cells, reducing drug levels and effectiveness (Sabit et al. 2022) . Moreover, radiation treatment and surgery enhance the likelihood of cancer infiltration (Harwansh and Deshmukh 2020 ; Burstein et al. 2021 ; Sabit et al. 2022) . Hence, thereis a need to create novel and effective medications to combat cancer (Asadipour et al. 2023 ; Yadollahi and Ghajari 2022) . Ongoing efforts have been made to obtain potent chemicals derived from natural sources (Balandrin et al. 1985) . About 71% of Earth's atmosphere is water, making it a vast source of unique bioactive compounds with unusual and distinctive chemical properties (Piri-Gharaghie 20

FAQs

What therapeutic approach does the study evaluate?

The study evaluates pDNA-tachyplesin treatment, where a synthetic tachyplesin nucleotide sequence is delivered using the pcDNA3.1(+) mammalian expression vector.

How was the vector accuracy and transfection performance assessed?

Vector accuracy was evaluated by PCR analysis and enzyme digesting procedures. Transfection efficiency was measured in MCF-7 and MCF10-A cells, yielding 57% and 65%, respectively.

What effects does pDNA/tachyplesin have in tumor-bearing mice?

pDNA/tachyplesin did not cause discernible morbidity or mortality during treatment, but it reduced body weight at the 100 µg/ml dose and increased specific immune cell populations in lymph nodes and spleen.

Sep 21, 2026

Upload by Emma Wilson