Functional assays reflective of cancer hallmarks in BT‐549 cells are not impacted by media supplemented with exercise‐trained plasma

Abstract

NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study?Little is known regarding the effects of media supplemented with resting plasma from exercise‐trained individuals, despite the established bioactive effects of acutely exercised samples. Does media supplemented with resting plasma from endurance‐trained, strength‐trained or recreationally active controls impact hallmarks of cancer in BT‐549 cells? What is the main finding and its importance?Supplementing media with plasma from these trained athletes did not impact proliferation, migration, invasion or anoikis resistance compared to plasma from recreationally‐active controls. These findings suggest that ‘anti‐cancer’ effects of exercise are not present in resting blood samples of exercise‐trained individuals. AbstractMedia supplemented with sera from acutely exercised men has been shown to have ‘anti‐cancer’ effects on prostate and breast cancer cell lines. This study investigated whether media supplemented with plasma samples taken at rest (≥30 h since the most recent exercise session) from men who were endurance‐trained (END), strength‐trained (STR) or recreationally active controls (CON) impacted the results of four assays that mimic hallmarks of cancer (proliferation, migration, extracellular matrix invasion and anoikis resistance) in the BT‐549 breast cancer cell line. Compared to control conditions of either serum‐free media or fetal bovine serum as appropriate, BT‐549 cells cultured with plasma‐supplemented media regardless of group resulted in greater cell proliferation (∼20–50%) and cell migration (∼15–20%), and lower extracellular matrix invasion (∼10–20%) and anoikis resistance (∼15–20%). Supplementing media with plasma from END or STR did not impact any outcomes of these assays compared to plasma from CON. Media supplemented with human plasma can impact functional assays reflective of cancer hallmarks in BT‐549 cells, but effects of exercise on proliferation, migration, extracellular matrix invasion and anoikis resistance were not evident in resting blood samples of individuals with a prior history of exercise training.