Fig. 1

Cytotoxicity of deferoxamine and deferasirox (a). The sensitivity of MDA-MB-231, BT-549 and MCF-7 cell lines to deferoxamine was evaluated via an MTT assay. Deferoxamine and deferasirox suppressed cell proliferation of breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Effect of deferoxamine on the migration of breast cancer cells (b). The degree of MDA-MB-231 cells migrating across the wound did not change significantly by deferoxamine administration compared with the control. Tumor volumes of MDA-MB-231 cells xenograft in the group of control and deferoxamine administration in mice (tumor volume: control vs. iron-deficient = 159.9 ± 14.7 mm² vs. 58.5 ± 12.1 mm²; p < 0.001) (c). The results of this analysis showed that the size of MDA-MB-231xenografts in the iron-deficient group was smaller than those in control group