Investigation of the effects of methylsulfonylmethane on global gene methylation and DNMT1, DNMT3A and DNMT3B in breast cancer cells

MSM, a sulphurous compound that occurs naturally in plants, humans and all mammals, has long been used alone or in combination preparations; It is used because it reduces arthritic pain and improves physical functions in osteoarthritis patients without causing major side effects. It has been determined in various studies that these effects of MSM are mediated by anti-inflammatory mechanisms. In recent years, the anti-cancer effects of MSM as well as its anti-inflammatory effects have been started to be investigated. It has been reported that MSM inhibits metastasis especially in metastatic melanoma and breast cancer cells, transforms cancer cells into normal cell phenotype, and has beneficial effects on colon cancer, hepatic cancer and prostate cancer. It has been reported that MSM reduces homocysteine levels in osteoarthritis patients and may have exhibited these effects by increasing the metabolic processes that need methylation, and it inhibits DNA methylation by DMS by entering into competitive inhibition with this agent. DNA methylation is a frequently observed epigenetic modification in the mammalian genome. Cytosine methylation in CpG islands is considered an important marker of epigenetic silencing and is carried out by DNA methyltransferase enzymes (DNMT). It is known that human tumors, including breast cancer, exhibit extensive loss of DNA methylation, but are hypermethylated at certain gene promoters. It has been reported that MSM exerts significant therapeutic effects by suppressing metastasis in different breast cancer cells, but it is not known whether epigenetic mechanisms play a role in these effects. In this study, it was determined that MSM decreased cell viability at certain doses in MCF-7, MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells, decreased DNMT1 protein level at 300 and 400 mM doses, and increased global gene methylation at 400 mM doses. Keywords:Methylsulfonylmethane,breast cancer,MDA-MB-231,MCF-7,MDA-MB-468