Phagocytosis of Candida albicans by metastatic and non metastatic human breast cancer cell lines in vitro

• Published in: Cancer detection and prevention 2004, Vol.28 (1), p.17-26
• Main Authors: Ghoneum, Mamdooh, Gollapudi, Sastry
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acids; Apoptosis; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Breast Neoplasms - physiopathology; Breast Neoplasms - secondary; Cancer; Candida; Candida albicans - physiology; Cell Line, Tumor; Epidemiology; Experiments; Female; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; MCF-7; Neoplasm Invasiveness - pathology; Neoplasm Metastasis; Phagocytosis; Respiratory Burst; Sensitivity and Specificity; Software; Studies; Tumor cell line; Tumors; Yeast
• ISSN: 0361-090X; 1877-7821; 1873-443X; 1877-783X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cdp.2003.10.001

Experiments were carried out to investigate the kinetic characteristics of phagocytosis of candida by metastatic (MCF-7 and ZR-75-1) and nonmetastatic (HCC70) breast cancer cell (BCC) lines. Cancer cells were mixed with candida at a ratio of 1:10 and attachment/phagocytosis were examined using cytospin preparations stained with either Giemsa or tannic acid and May-Grünwald Giemsa and by using flow cytometry. A high attachment of candida to cancer cells (29–39%) was detected as early as 10 min. Following attachment, cancer cells phagocytized yeast. The phagocytic activity of MCF-7 and ZR-75 cells was significantly higher (58–61%) than that of HCC70 cells (26%). A similar trend was observed with respect to the phagocytic index. Phagocytosis of candida by tumor cells was inhibited significantly by both cytochalasin B (50%) and by lowering temperature to 4 °C (66%). Phagocytosis was not associated with oxidative burst in any cell lines used. In conclusion, metastatic breast cancer cells possess phagocytic activity which may explain their invasive property.