An Iodine Treatments Effect on Cell Proliferation Rates of Breast Cancer Cell Lines; In Vitro Study

BACKGROUND: Iodine can reduce breast tumor progression by mediates an antiproliferative effect.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the effect of iodine (I2), Lugol (I3K), and the combination of both on cell proliferation of three different types of breast cancer cell lines.

METHODS: The samples were MCF7, SKBR3, and MDA-MB 213 cell lines. Cell proliferation rate was measured using colorimetric and clonogenic assays.

RESULTS: The cell proliferation rate of MDA-MB 231 cells was reduced significantly by treatment I2, I3K, and combination of both with p = 0.046, p = 0.00, and p = 0.00, respectively. In MCF7 cells, I2 reduced the cell proliferation of 54–94% and I3K reduced the proliferation of 74–94%. The effectiveness of I3K treatments in slowing cell proliferation rate was dose-dependent. In SKBR3 cells, I2reduced proliferation cell up to 85% and I3K 4%-94% depending on the dose. Clonogenic assay results showed a discontinue of the cell proliferation by all doses of I2 and I3K (10 μM and 20 μM).

CONCLUSION: Breast cancer cell lines, representing subtypes of luminal A, HER2+, and triple-negative, show an excellent response to iodine treatments and I3K response shows in a dose-dependent manner. Further studies are needed to investigate the effective in vivo doses.