Lactobacilli modulate hypoxia-inducible factor [HIF]-1 regulatory pathway in triple negative breast cancer cell line

ABSTRACT

Objective: Hypoxia-Inducible Factor [HIF]-1 plays an essential role in the body's response to low oxygen concentrations and regulates expression of several genes implicated in homeostasis, vascularization, anaerobic metabolism as well as immunological responses. Increased levels of HIF-1alpha are associated with increased proliferation and more aggressive breast tumor development. Lactobacilli have been shown to exert anti-cancer effects on several malignancies including breast cancer. However, the exact mechanism of such effect is not clear yet. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression of selected genes from HIF pathway in a triple negative breast cancer cell line [expressing no estrogen and progesterone receptors as well as HER-2/Neu], MDA-MB-231, following treatment with two lactobacilli culture supernatants