Breast cancer ranks among one of the most severe cancers in the world which generally occur in women of any age after puberty, the risk of which increases with age as women turn 40 (WHO, 2020). Of all the cancers present, breast cancer is the most common and leading type of cancer among women, accounting for 25% of all cases. Apoptosis is a process of programmed cell death that happens only under the presence of a chain of proteins. The absence/ mutation of such protein(s) may lead to the malfunction of apoptosis, the prime cause of cancer.
There are various treatments present to cure Breast Cancer but include side effects. Though phytochemical thymoquinone appeared to be a better alternative to reduce such painful experiences, it lacks efficacy. In such conditions, the present study attempted to find whether Nanoparticle encapsulated Thymoquinone could provide better results in eliminating Breast Cancer cells.
Administering Thymoquinone-Nanoparticle Formulation at a specific dose on Breast Cancer Cell lines (MCF-7) in in-vitro condition showed increased cell death by MTT Assay. Furthermore, the expression of the target proteins responsible for inducing apoptosis was found to be in greater quantity through the Western Blot test.
From an Anthropological point of view, the polymorphism and distinct mutations of the proteins involved in controlling apoptosis concerning different populations are important as they may reveal if any population is at higher risk of developing Breast cancer or not. Besides, population-specific polymorphisms and mutations may help in determining drug efficacy.
