The Effect of Fertilized Egg White on Growth, Migration, Differentiation and Genes Expression Profile in SW480 Colon Cancer Cell Line

Background: Embryonic microenvironments influence cancer stem cells properties, which leads to anti-cancer effects. Therefore, the current study investigates the effects of fertilized egg white, as an embryonic/fetal microenvironment, on survival, apoptosis, self-renewal characteristic, stemness properties, and migration capacity of SW480 colon cancer cells and 5-fluorouracil (5FU) resistant subgroup.Methods: MTT and Flow cytometry was used to study the cell viability and cell cycle analysis. Clonogenic, spheroid formation, and wound healing assays were used to evaluate cancer cells' self-renewal, stemness properties, and migration capacity. RT-PCR was performed to analyze NANOG, c-MYC, E-cadherin, and NDRG1 mRNA expression.Results: The SW480 colon carcinoma cell line and SW480-5FU chemo-resistant subpopulation cells were subjected to Fertilized Egg White (FEW). FEW decreased cell viability and increased the percentage of the sub-G1 stage in both cell lines. In addition, colony and spheroid formations were decreased in both cells, and the FEW inhibited the migration. Expression of NANOG and c-MYC were reduced in both cells. E-cadherin and NDRG1 expression increased in SW480 cells.Conclusion: FEW decreased the SW480 colon cancer cell line and the SW480-5FU chemo-resistant subpopulation growth and migration. Also, by the changes observed in gene expression and spheroid formation, we suggest the possibility of decreased stemness properties and induction of differentiation following fertilized egg white treatment.