The effect of zinc and melatonin supplementation on immunity parameters in breast cancer induced by DMBA in rats

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the effects of zinc and melatonin supplements on the immunity parameters of female rats with breast cancer induced by DMBA.

Methods: Group 1; Control, Group 2; 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), Group 3; DMBA + zinc, Group 4; DMBA + melatonin, Group 5; DMBA + zinc + melatonin. The rats’ breast cancer was induced by DMBA 80 mg/kg. Groups 3–5 received daily 5 mg/kg doses of zinc, melatonin, and zinc + melatonin, respectively. Lymphocyte rates, T-lymphocyte subgroups, B-lymphocyte and natural killer cells (NK), and natural killer T (NKT) were evaluated.

Results: The most significant increase in lymphocyte, T-lymphocyte, and CD4 lymphocyte rates was found in Group 5. The highest NKT cell rates were found in Group 3.

Conclusions: Findings show that zinc and melatonin supplements have led to an increase in the immunity parameters of rats with breast cancer.

Keywords:

• Cancer
• DMBA
• immunity
• melatonin
• zinc

Acknowledgments

Authors would like to thank Dr. Mustafa Cihat Avunduk for cancer confirmation in the breast tissue.

Ethics and consent statement

This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

The study protocol was approved by the Experimental Animals Ethics Board of Selcuk University’s Experimental Medicine Research and Application Center (2016–31).

Consent for publication

All written informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Scientific Research Projects Coordinatorship of Selcuk University (SUBAPK; project no. 16202034).