MCF-7 Cell Line: A Cornerstone in Breast Cancer Research and Drug Testing

The MCF-7 cell line, established in 1973 from human breast adenocarcinoma cells, stands at the forefront of breast cancer research, providing a critical model for unraveling the complex biology of estrogen and progesterone receptor-positive breast cancers. These cells serve as a microcosm of human breast cancer, exhibiting characteristics crucial for studying both hormone-dependent and independent tumor growth. Researchers utilize MCF-7 cells to explore the intricate dance of hormones like estrogen and tamoxifen in regulating the proliferation of cancer cells, delving into the molecular intricacies from spheroid formation to clinical breast cancer progression.

In metastatic breast cancer studies, MCF-7 cells are pivotal, employed in cutting-edge approaches such as embedding in microtissues in scaffolds or free hydrogels, mimicking the tumor's natural environment. This aids in scrutinizing metastatic disease, particularly in postmenopausal women, and the disparate effects on the left and right breasts. Pharmacogenetic and pharmacoepigenetic considerations are at the heart of this research, with MCF-7 cells shedding light on stage-specific disease characteristics and responses to treatment in vivo.

MCF-7 cells also serve as a bedrock in oncology studies for testing innovative therapies, such as high voltage electrochemotherapy, and in animal models that closely replicate human breast tumor cells. The role of mesenchymal stem cells in modulating the behavior of these tumor cells is another aspect under scrutiny. Moreover, understanding the interaction between estrogen, androgen, and breast cancer cell growth through MCF-7 provides invaluable insights, fueling the continuous pursuit of knowledge in the ever-evolving field of cancer research.

MCF-7 cell line: Origin and general information

Before working with the MCF-7 cell line, it is essential to understand, morphology, cell size, and other general characteristics.

The name 'MCF-7' stands for Michigan Cancer Foundation – 7. It was established by Dr. Soule at the Michigan Cancer Foundation in Detroit, Michigan. This cell line was isolated in 1970 from the pleural effusion of a 69-year-old Caucasian female with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the breast. The MCF-7 is a Luminal A subtype of breast cancer that expresses estrogen, progesterone, and glucocorticoid receptors [1, 2].

MCF-7 cells are hormone-dependent breast cancer cells. These mammary epithelium cells have low metastatic potential and are less aggressive compared to hormone-independent MDA-MB-231 cells [3].

Morphology of MCF-7 cells:Epithelial-like morphology; cells grow as monolayers with strong cell-cell adhesions; cobblestone-like appearance
Cell size: Ranges between 19.9 μm and 33.9 μm
Genome and ploidy: Modal number of chromosomes: 82; Ploidy range: 66 to 87
MCF-7 cell line variants: There are multiple KO variants exhibiting different genetic profiles and gene expressions compared to original MCF-7 cells [4]

Breast cancer cells visualized by scanning electron microscopy.

Cell culture information of MCF-7 cells

MCF-7 is a widely cultured cell line in breast cancer research laboratories. Before culturing these cells, many questions may arise in your brain such as what is the doubling time of MCF-7 cells? Are MCF-7 cells adherent? And what is the culture medium for MCF-7 cells? Here in this section, we will talk about the following key points:

Aspect	Description
Doubling time	The mean doubling time of MCF-7 cells is 24 hours
Adherent or in suspension	MCF-7 cells are adherent cells that grow as monolayers and form cell aggregates
Seeding density	Slow growing MCF-7 cells are seeded at a density of 3 x 10^4 cells/cm^2. After removing the media, adherent MCF-7 cells are washed with 1 x PBS. Cells are detached using Accutase passaging solution. Culture media is added, and cells are centrifuged. Cell pellets are resuspended and transferred to new flasks with fresh growth medium
Growth medium	Eagle's Minimum Essential Medium (EMEM) supplemented with 10% FBS and 2.5 mM L-glutamine is used for growing MCF-7 cells. Media is renewed 2 to 3 times per week
Growth conditions	MCF-7 cells are grown in a humidified incubator at 37°C with 5% CO2
Storage	Cells are stored in the vapour phase of liquid nitrogen (-195°C) to maintain cell viability
Freezing process and medium	Slow freezing method is preferred for freezing MCF-7 cells, gradually reducing the temperature by 1°C to protect cell viability. The freezing media used for MCF-7 cells is CM-1 or CM-ACF
Thawing process	Frozen MCF-7 cells are rapidly agitated in a pre-warmed water bath (37°C) for 40-60 seconds. A small ice clump is left in the vial to keep it cool. Cells can be directly cultured in a flask with fresh growth medium or centrifuged to remove freezing media. The resulting cell pellet is carefully resuspended in fresh media and dispensed into flasks for growth
Biosafety level	Biosafety level 1 is used for handling triple-positive MCF-7 cells

MCF-7 cells in low and high confluency.

MCF-7 cells: Advantages and Limitations

All cancer cell lines possess some pros and cons. So, what are the advantages of MCF-7 cells that make it attractive for research use? And what are the limitations of the MCF-7 cell line?

Advantages

There are many advantages associated with the MCF-7 cell line. Here are a few impera ones:

Well-characterized: The MCF-7 cell line is well-characterized, making it a frequent choice in cancer research laboratories.
Estrogen responsive: MCF-7 are estrogen-responsive breast cancer cells. They depend on estrogen for growth and proliferation and express higher mRNA levels of estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα) compared to ERβ. This makes MCF-7 cells extensively useful for studying the role of estrogen receptor signaling in breast cancer biology.
Hormone dependent: MCF-7 cells are representative models of receptor-positive, hormone-dependent breast cancer.

Limitations

The limitations commonly attributed to MCF-7 cells are:

Slow growth rate: Compared to other breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 cells grow slowly. Therefore, these cells are seeded at relatively high cell densities to carry out different cell culture experiments.

MCF-7 Cells: Multidisciplinary Research and Implications in Breast Cancer

Characterizing Breast Cancer with MCF-7 Cells

MCF-7 cells are a cornerstone in breast cancer research, originating from human breast adenocarcinoma tissue in 1973. These cells are particularly significant in the study of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer due to their expression of estrogen receptors. They allow researchers to investigate the nuances of estrogen-dependent growth and the efficacy of hormonal therapies such as tamoxifen, further elucidating the mechanisms of action and resistance to these treatments.

Beyond hormone-related studies, MCF-7 cells are pivotal for exploring breast cancer at the molecular level. Their application ranges from analyzing the molecular profile of tumors to studying the proliferation and progression of cancer cells within 2D cultures and three-dimensional microtissues in scaffolds, closely mirroring the in vivo tumor microenvironment.

Combatting Drug Resistance in Breast Cancer

MCF-7 cells have significantly contributed to understanding and overcoming drug resistance in breast cancer treatment. By inducing resistance through exposure to high doses of chemotherapeutic drugs, researchers can examine the mechanisms that lead to cancer relapse and decreased patient survival rates. In-depth studies involving MCF-7 cells have uncovered the role of long non-coding RNA HOTAIR in drug resistance, providing a potential target for therapeutic intervention.

The continuous development of chemotherapeutic drugs also relies on MCF-7 cells to screen for the anticancer potential of various substances, including natural products, synthetic compounds, and nanoparticles. These efforts are essential for creating more effective breast cancer treatments that can tackle drug-resistant strains of cancer cells.

Advancing Therapeutic Development and Clinical Applications

The insights garnered from research utilizing MCF-7 cells extend into the therapeutic development for breast cancer. Serving as a critical tool for preclinical testing, MCF-7 cells are used for screening compounds, determining cytotoxicity, and evaluating apoptosis induction. This research has profound implications for future clinical applications, where the findings from studies using MCF-7 cells will continue to inform innovative strategies to enhance patient care and treatment outcomes.

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MCF-7 cells: Publications

There is a plethora of publications on MCF-7 cells. This section will cover only some notable examples:

Knockdown of lncRNA‑HOTAIR downregulates the drug‑resistance of breast cancer cells to doxorubicin via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

This article is published in Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine in 2019 by Zhixiang Li and colleagues. The study proposed that the knockdown of long non-coding RNA HOTAIR eliminates doxorubicin resistance in MCF-7 breast cancer cells by regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

Guajadial reverses multidrug resistance by inhibiting ABC transporter expression and suppressing the PI3K/Akt pathway in drug-resistant breast cancer cells

This publication in the Chemico-Biological Interactions journal used parent and drug-resistant MCF-7 cells to study the effect of the Guajadial compound on drug resistance. This compound inhibits ABC transporter expression and downregulates PI3K/AKT pathway to reverse multi-drug resistance.

Synergistic interactions of cannabidiol with chemotherapeutic drugs in MCF7 cells: Mode of interaction and proteomics analysis of mechanisms

This published paper describes the synergistic interaction of cannabidiol and five chemotherapeutic drugs in MCF-7 cells. The study suggests cannabidiol-based synergistic adjuvant therapies for breast cancer treatment.

Phenolic composition of some Tunisian medicinal plants associated with anti-proliferative effect on human breast cancer MCF-7 cells

This article published in The EuroBiotech Journal used MCF-7 cells for evaluating the anti-tumor effect of phenolic compounds present in some Tunisian medicinal plants.

A novel biogenic Allium cepa leaf mediated silver nanoparticles for antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer effects on MCF-7 cell line

The study proposed Allium cepa leaf extract-loaded green nanoparticles as a drug candidate. These nanoparticles exhibit anti-cancer and antioxidant activity in MCF-7 cells.

MCF-7 cells Resources: Protocols, Videos & More

MCF-7 is frequently cultured breast cancer cell line. There are several available resources on this cell line explaining its handling, culturing, and transfection protocols.

Cell culture protocols

The following are some resources comprising information about MCF-7 cell culturing.

Cell splitting: This document will help you learn the cell passaging and thawing process for MCF-7.
MCF-7 cells: This article will provide all the basic and advanced knowledge about MCF-7 cells. It also includes MCF-7 cell culturing protocol.

Transfection protocols

Here are some sources comprising transfection methods for the MCF-7 cell line.

Transfecting Plasmid DNA Into MCF-7 Cells: This website link will provide you detailed transfection protocol for MCF-7 cells.
Transfecting MCF-7 cells: This link consists of optimized transfection protocols related to the MCF-7 cell line shared by scientists from all over the world.

Videos related to MCF-7 cell line

There are many video resources on MCF-7 cells. Here we will talk about some related to the transfection and culturing of MCF-7.

MCF-7 cell transfection: This video shows the transfection protocol for MCF-7 cells.
Passaging cells: This video explains the basic protocol followed for culturing of cell lines.
Freezing adherent cells: This video contains information regarding the freezing of adherent cell lines.

We expect that this article guided you well about handling, subculturing, and maintenance of MCF-7 cells. In addition, it can help you learn about the advantages and research applications of this cell line. If you are planning to work on MCF-7 cells, order from us.

Answers to Common Questions: Exploring MCF-7 Cell Lines

What are MCF-7 cells?

MCF-7 cell lines are a type of human breast cancer cell line derived from metastatic breast adenocarcinoma tissue. They are commonly used in research to study breast cancer biology and test potential therapies.

Are MCF-7 cells invasive?

MCF-7 cells are not typically considered highly invasive compared to other breast cancer cell lines. They exhibit moderate invasiveness, making them suitable for certain types of studies focused on tumor invasion and metastasis.

Are MCF-7 cells tumorigenic?

Yes, MCF-7 cells are tumorigenic, meaning they have the ability to form tumors when injected into immunocompromised mice. This property is essential for studying tumor growth, progression, and response to treatments.

Do MCF-7 cells need insulin?

MCF-7 cells do not typically require insulin for growth in standard cell culture conditions. However, insulin may be added to the culture medium in certain experiments to modulate cell behavior or mimic specific physiological conditions.

Is MCF-7 epithelial?

Yes, MCF-7 cells are epithelial in origin. They retain many characteristics of epithelial cells, including the expression of epithelial markers and the ability to form epithelial-like structures in culture.

What is the difference between MCF-7 and MCF 10?

MCF-7 and MCF-10 are both cell lines used in breast cancer research, but they have distinct characteristics. MCF-7 cells are derived from metastatic breast adenocarcinoma tissue and are tumorigenic, while MCF-10 cells are derived from normal breast epithelial tissue and are non-tumorigenic. Additionally, MCF-7 cells express estrogen receptors and are often used to study hormone-responsive breast cancer, whereas MCF-10 cells do not express estrogen receptors and are commonly used as a model of normal breast epithelium.

References

Moon, H.-r., et al., "Subtype-specific characterization of breast cancer invasion using a microfluidic tumor platform." PloS one, 2020, 15(6)
Hegde, S.M., et al., "Interplay of nuclear receptors (ER, PR, and GR) and their steroid hormones in MCF-7 cells." Mol Cell Biochem, 2016, 422(1-2)
Comşa, Ş., A.M. Cimpean, and M. Raica, "The story of MCF-7 breast cancer cell line: 40 years of experience in research." Anticancer research, 2015, 35(6)
Lee, A.V., S. Oesterreich, and N.E. Davidson, "MCF-7 cells—changing the course of breast cancer research and care for 45 years." JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2015, 107(7)
Li, Z., et al., "Knockdown of lncRNA‑HOTAIR downregulates the drug‑resistance of breast cancer cells to doxorubicin via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway." Experimental and therapeutic medicine, 2019, 18(1)
Li, Y., et al., "Guajadial reverses multidrug resistance by inhibiting ABC transporter expression and suppressing the PI3K/Akt pathway in drug-resistant breast cancer cells." Chemico-Biological Interactions, 2019, 305
Ruenraroengsak, P., et al., "Frizzled-7-targeted delivery of zinc oxide nanoparticles to drug-resistant breast cancer cells." Nanoscale, 2019, 11(27)
Shrihastini, V., et al., "Plant derived bioactive compounds, their anti-cancer effects and in silico approaches as an alternative target treatment strategy for breast cancer: An updated overview." Cancers, 2021, 13(24)
Erdogan, O., et al., "Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles via Cynara scolymus leaf extracts: The characterization, anticancer potential with photodynamic therapy in MCF7 cells." PloS one, 2019, 14(6)
Barbosa, A.M. and F. Martel, "Targeting glucose transporters for breast cancer therapy: The effect of natural and synthetic compounds." Cancers, 2020, 12(1)