The Interplay Between Beta-Hydroxybutyrate, Insulin and Glucose on Regulating MCF7 Cell Cycle Status

The Ketogenic diet (KD), has been used to treat epileptic seizures, improve insulin sensitivity and reduce adiposity. This study demonstrates an in-vitro approach to stimulate the KD in order to evaluate the effects on MCF7 breast cancer cell-cycle progression. Under the external conditions of decreased blood insulin, decreased circulating glucose and increased beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), all factors which accompany consumption of the KD, revealed preliminary evidence displaying the expression of cell cycle regulating proteins responsible for reducing cellular proliferation. Results illustrate that in depleted glucose conditions, expression of Akt signalling pathway is downregulated, which is responsible for cell survival. AMPK, an energy sensing pathway is upregulated in response to BHB supplementation in low glucose states, which stabilizes downstream p27 protein that assists in halting cell cycle progression. Together, these findings provide evidence that creating a negative growth environment for MCF7 cells has the potential to implicate cellular energy and attenuate cell proliferation.