Background: The present study was performed to investigate the effects of trace elements particularity Se, Zn and Cu on tumor genesis in breast cancer.
Methods: The inhibitory effect of Se, Zn and Cu, on telomerase activity was analyzed in human breast tumor tissues and breast cancer (T47D) cells. Tissue specimens from 24 women with benign breast disease and 32 women with breast cancer specimens (ductal carcinoma, lobular carcinoma) were collected during surgery. In addition venous blood samples were obtained for assessing the trace elements. T47D cell line was cultured and treated with trace elements. Telomerase activity then was measured with TRAP assay in cell line and tissue extracts.
Results: There was a significant difference between tissue and serum levels of Cu, Se and the ratio of Cu/Zn in patients and controls (P<0.001). After treating with 100 μm/L Zn So4, 10 μm /L Cu So4 for 6 hours, telomerase activity of T47D cells was markedly increased. But after treating with 10, and 30 μm /L selenium-L- methionin, telomerase activity was markedly inhibited. Telomerase activity of T47D cells for 24 hours were 0.93, 0.60 and for 48 hours were 0.76, 0.12 respectively (control 49.2℅). There were variations in serum level of Zn and Cu in breast cancer patients.
Conclusion: Association between trace elements level and telomerase activity level can be exploited as prognostic and diagnostic marker for breast cancer.