The effect of beta carotene on ERK signaling pathway and oxidative stress parameters in HeLa cell line

Background and Aim: Cancer is a complex and multifaceted disease whose treatment and care requires a comprehensive approach. Cervical tumor is the second most common malignancy in the world after breast tumor and one of the most common cancer types in Turkey. Mitogen Activated Protein Kinases (MAPKs) play an important role in cancer treatment. These kinases are responsible for cell proliferation and survival and are activated by oncogenic proteins such as RAS and Ras Associated Factor (RAF). Beta carotene is a beneficial pigment for human health and plays a role in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. In this study, we investigated the effects of beta carotene on ERK signaling pathway, oxidative stress parameters and inflammation markers in HeLa cell line. Materials and Methods: In our study, the effects of beta carotene were examined using HeLa cell line. Cells were cultured and incubated at 37°C in an oven containing 95% humidity and 5% CO2 in TÜTAGEM Cell Culture Laboratory. The study was organized in three groups; control group, 24 hours beta carotene treated group and 48 hours beta carotene treated group. Cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay and the results were calculated by reading at 492 nm in a spectrophotometer. After RNA isolation, gene expression analysis was performed using qRT-PCR and the results were statistically analyzed. Results: There was a statistically significant decrease in HeLa cell viability 24 and 48 hours after beta carotene treatment. In Probit analysis, the IC50 dose was determined as 53.324 µg/mL at 24 hours and 148.706 µg/mL at 48 hours. Conclusion: Especially in the 24 h beta carotene group, TNF-α, K-RAS, H-RAS, MEK, ERK, SOD, CAT, GPX gene expressions in HeLa cell line showed a statistically significant increase compared to the control (p<0.005). The reason for these increases in expression levels may be that beta carotene supports cell growth and differentiation by activating cellular signaling pathways.