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Oxytocin inhibits proliferation of human breast cancer cell lines

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Abstract

In this study we show that treatment of MDA-MB231 hormone-independent human breast cancer cells with oxytocin (OT) or with the OT analogue F314 induces significant growth inhibition together with a change in cell phenotype. In MCF7 and T47D human breast cancer cells, OT inhibits oestrogen-induced cell growth. In these same cells, OT administration significantly enhances the inhibitory effect of tamoxifen on cell proliferation. MDA-MB231, MCF7 and T47D cells all express mRNA specific for the OT receptor. These data suggest that it may be possible to inhibit breast cancer growth using OT and OT analogues.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Sciences and Oncology, University of Turin, Via Santena 7, I-10126, Turin, Italy

    P. Cassoni, A. Sapino, F. Negro & G. Bussolati

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  1. P. Cassoni
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  2. A. Sapino
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  3. F. Negro
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  4. G. Bussolati
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Cassoni, P., Sapino, A., Negro, F. et al. Oxytocin inhibits proliferation of human breast cancer cell lines. Vichows Archiv A Pathol Anat 425, 467–472 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00197549

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00197549

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