Heat sensitivity between human normal liver (WRL-68) and breast cancer (MDA-MB 231) cell lines

Abstract

Hyperthermia is a potential tool for various types of cancer treatments in which body tissue is exposed to high temperature with usually minimal injury or no injury to normal tissues. In the present study, it was aimed to investigate temperature and duration of heat shock on viability of human normal liver (WRL-68) and breast carcinoma (MDA-MB 231) cell lines using MTT and methylene blue assay. These cells were exposed to heat at three different temperatures (38, 40 and 42°C) for five different duration of heat exposure (0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 4 hours). Viability of WRL-68 and MDAMB 231 cell lines is dependent on temperature and duration of hyperthermic exposure. After increasing temperature from 38 to 42°C, more cancer cells were killed during the same period of heat exposure compare to normal cells. This was due to MDA-MB 231 cells do not have defense system against heat, as do WRL-68 cells. There was a great variation of thermo sensitivity among normal cell and cancer cell. It was observed that WRL-68 cells were killed at 42°C for 3 hours meanwhile MDA-MB 231 cells need temperature of 38°C for 0.5 hours.