Abstract: Objective  To investigate the effects of resveratrol (Res) on the proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis of three breast cell lines DU4475, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 with different estrogen receptor (ER) expressions. Methods  Res was added to the drug treatment group at 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100 and 200 μmol/L, respectively. Three observation periods at 24, 48 and 72 hours were set up respectively. MTT assay was used to detect the effects of Res on proliferation of breast cells. Cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). The concentrations of drugs were 0, 12.5, 25, 50 μmol/L. The results were analysed by the statistical software SPSS17.0. Results  After Res intervention, the proliferations of three cell lines were inhibited to different extent. After 48 and 72 hours of Res, inhibitions of Res with different concentration were significant different (F=15.26, P﹤0.05). Inhibition rates of DU4475 and MDA-MB-231 with ER-negative were higer than that of MCF-7 with ER-positive. FCM results prompted that these three kinds of cells were blocked in S phase after 48 hours treatment of 12.5-50 μmol/L Res and the block percentages had significant difference (F=34.81, P﹤0.05). The percentages of S phase for DU4475 and MDA-MB-231 arresting were higher than that of MCF-7. For DU4475, the apoptotic and necrosis percentage were higher than that of MCF-7 at 100 μmol/L (t=16.082, P<0.05). Conclusion  Res can inhibit proliferation, induce cell cycle changing and apoptosis of DU4475, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells. The inhibitions of Res on DU4475 and MDA-MB-231 are better than that of MCF-7 with ER-positive.

Key words: Breast neoplasms, Cell line, tumor, Receptors, estrogen, Resveratrol