Examination of the Effect of Osmotin in an Adiponectin Receptor Knock Down Breast Cancer Cell Line

Studies have demonstrated a strong correlation between obesity and incidence of breast cancer.  As the incidence of obesity increases, it is important to understand the mechanisms behind this correlation. Obesity is characterized by an increase in white adipose tissue, which in turn leads increased levels of adipokines in circulation. This is true for all adipokines except for adiponectin, whose levels decrease as obesity increases. Decreased levels of adiponectin are linked to increased incidence of breast cancer.  Treatments of breast cancer cells lines with adiponectin have been shown to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis.  Currently, there is not an adiponectin-based treatment for breast cancer, but our lab has started investigating osmotin, a plant protein with similar structure and function. To determine if osmotin can inhibit cell growth by acting through a similar mechanism to adiponectin, the adiponectin receptor was knocked out in the breast cancer cell line, MCF-7.  The goal of this study is to determine if the physiological responses of osmotin on MCF-7 cells will be lost if the adiponectin receptor is knocked out.  To conduct this study, MCF-7 cells with adiponectin receptor knocked down will be treated with adiponectin and osmotin for 24, 48 and 72 hours. At the end of each time period, cells will be stained with methylene blue and quantified using a SpectraMax. These studies will provide a foundation of data that supports the use of osmotin as a potential breast cancer agent.