Mechanism In Breast Cancer Cells Research Articles

“Sustainable synthesis of Camellia sinensis-mediated silver nanoparticles (CsAgNP) and their anticancer mechanisms in breast cancer cells”

The present investigation focuses on synthesizing eco-friendly and cost-effective silver nanoparticles (CsAgNP) utilizing Camellia sinensis ethanolic extract (CsE) as a reducing agent and investigating the potential enhancement in its anticancer efficacy as compared to CsE. The CsAgNP formation was confirmed through the color change from pale green to dark brown and further validated using UV–visible spectroscopy in the 400-450 nm range. The optimal CsAgNP synthesis parameters include 1:4 ratio of CsE: 1 mM AgNO3, 60 min of duration and 50 °C reaction temperature. The morphology and the size of nanoparticles were estimated using AFM, SEM and TEM where the results showed a smooth topography with a size <100 nm. The CsAgNP crystalline form was confirmed through SAED pictures and silver's presence confirmed through EDX analysis. FTIR study ascertained the capping agents and distortion in functional groups compared to CsE. The anticancer potency of CsAgNP and crude extract (CsE) was assessed against the T-47D breast cancer cells by MTT assay. CsAgNP displayed strong activity towards T-47D cells (IC50 8 μg/ml) compared to CsE and relatively low activity towards the normal HEK-293 cells. Further, fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry data revealed that the CsAgNP promotes apoptosis and also induces G2-M phase cell cycle arrest. Furthermore, CsAgNP treatment decreases p53 and Bcl-2 protein expression, while increasing Bax, Cytochrome c and Caspase-3 levels, indicating mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic pathway activation. Thus, our research aims to investigate the potential of using Camellia sinensis to synthesize CsAgNP, a potent drug delivery system, to enhance anticancer effectiveness and advance cancer therapy in the future.

Estrogen receptors and extracellular matrix: the critical interplay in cancer development and progression.

Cancer remains a significant global health concern. Breast cancer is a multifaceted and prevalent disease influenced by several factors, among which estrogen receptors (ERs) and the extracellular matrix (ECM) play pivotal roles. ERs, encompassing ERα and ERβ, exert significant diversity on tumor behavior, cell signaling, invasion, and metastatic potential, thus guiding breast cancer prognosis. Understanding the multifunctional connections between ERs and ECM that mediate the dynamics of tumor microenvironment is vital for unraveling the complexity of breast cancer pathobiology and identifying novel therapeutic targets. This critical review delves into the intricate nature of ERs, emphasizing their structural isoforms and the consequential impact on breast cancer outcomes. A detailed examination of ER-mediated cell signaling pathways reveals how differential expression of ERα and ERβ isoforms influence breast cancer cell behavior. The functional ERs-matrix interactions emerge as a pivotal factor in modulating epigenetic mechanisms of breast cancer cells, orchestrating changes in cellular phenotype and expression patterns of matrix modulators. Specifically, ERα isoforms are shown to regulate ECM signaling cascades, while the effects of ECM components on ERα activity highlight a bidirectional regulatory axis. The diversity of ERβ isoforms is also highlighted, illustrating their distinct contribution to ECM-mediated cellular responses. This review underscores the complex interplay between ERα/β isoforms and the ECM, shedding light onto the potential therapeutic strategies targeting these interactions to improve breast cancer management.

Dynamic altruistic cooperation within breast tumors

BackgroundSocial behaviors such as altruism, where one self-sacrifices for collective benefits, critically influence an organism’s survival and responses to the environment. Such behaviors are widely exemplified in nature but have been underexplored in cancer cells which are conventionally seen as selfish competitive players. This multidisciplinary study explores altruism and its mechanism in breast cancer cells and its contribution to chemoresistance.MethodsMicroRNA profiling was performed on circulating tumor cells collected from the blood of treated breast cancer patients. Cancer cell lines ectopically expressing candidate miRNA were used in co-culture experiments and treated with docetaxel. Ecological parameters like relative survival and relative fitness were assessed using flow cytometry. Functional studies and characterization performed in vitro and in vivo include proliferation, iTRAQ-mass spectrometry, RNA sequencing, inhibition by small molecules and antibodies, siRNA knockdown, CRISPR/dCas9 inhibition and fluorescence imaging of promoter reporter-expressing cells. Mathematical modeling based on evolutionary game theory was performed to simulate spatial organization of cancer cells.ResultsOpposing cancer processes underlie altruism: an oncogenic process involving secretion of IGFBP2 and CCL28 by the altruists to induce survival benefits in neighboring cells under taxane exposure, and a self-sacrificial tumor suppressive process impeding proliferation of altruists via cell cycle arrest. Both processes are regulated concurrently in the altruists by miR-125b, via differential NF-κB signaling specifically through IKKβ. Altruistic cells persist in the tumor despite their self-sacrifice, as they can regenerate epigenetically from non-altruists via a KLF2/PCAF-mediated mechanism. The altruists maintain a sparse spatial organization by inhibiting surrounding cells from adopting the altruistic fate via a lateral inhibition mechanism involving a GAB1-PI3K-AKT-miR-125b signaling circuit.ConclusionsOur data reveal molecular mechanisms underlying manifestation, persistence and spatial spread of cancer cell altruism. A minor population behave altruistically at a cost to itself producing a collective benefit for the tumor, suggesting tumors to be dynamic social systems governed by the same rules of cooperation in social organisms. Understanding cancer cell altruism may lead to more holistic models of tumor evolution and drug response, as well as therapeutic paradigms that account for social interactions. Cancer cells constitute tractable experimental models for fields beyond oncology, like evolutionary ecology and game theory.

Induction of Breast Cancer Cell Apoptosis by TRAIL and Smac Mimetics: Involvement of RIP1 and cFLIP.

Smac mimetics are a group of compounds able to facilitate cell death in cancer cells. TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a death receptor ligand currently explored in combination with Smac mimetics. The molecular mechanisms determining if the combination treatment results in apoptosis are however not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to shed light on these mechanisms in breast cancer cells. Three breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-468, CAMA-1 and MCF-7, were used to evaluate the effects of Smac mimetic LCL-161 and TRAIL using cell death assays and Western blot. The combination treatment induces apoptosis and caspase-8 cleavage in MDA-MB-468 and CAMA-1 but not in MCF-7 cells and downregulation of caspase-8 blocked apoptosis. Downregulation, but not kinase inhibition, of receptor-interacting protein 1 (RIP1) suppressed apoptosis in CAMA-1. Apoptosis is preceded by association of RIP1 with caspase-8. Downregulating cellular FLICE-like inhibitory protein (c-FLIP) resulted in increased caspase cleavage and some induction of apoptosis by TRAIL and LCL-161 in MCF-7. In CAMA-1, c-FLIP depletion potentiated TRAIL-induced caspase cleavage and LCL-161 did not increase it further. Our results lend further support to a model where LCL-161 enables the formation of a complex including RIP1 and caspase-8 and circumvents c-FLIP-mediated inhibition of caspase activation.

Abstract 5311: Auranofin sensitizes paclitaxel induced apoptotic cell death through oxidative mechanism in breast cancer cells

Abstract Breast cancer cells exhibit several basal redox systems, thus poorly responding to oxidative cell death. These intrinsic redox statuses capitalize on the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs. Auranofin, an FDA-approved gold compound documented with effective pharmacokinetics and safety profiles in humans, has recently been repurposed for anticancer activity. This study examined the paclitaxel sensitizing effect of auranofin by targeting redox balance in the MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. We observed that auranofin inhibits thioredoxin reductase activity (TrxR) in these breast cancer cells and collapses the cellular antioxidants status, including the reduced activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. Furthermore, it has been noticed that auranofin augmented paclitaxel mediated cytotoxicity in a concentration dependant manner in both the MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines. Furthermore, auranofin increased intracellular ROS levels (DCFH-DA staining) and altered mitochondrial membrane potential (Rhodamine-123 staining) in these breast cancer cell lines. The proapoptotic markers such as p53, Bax, and caspase-3 and caspase-9 expressions were higher in auranofin plus paclitaxel treated breast cancer cells when compared to paclitaxel alone treatment. Thus, the present results illustrate the chemosensitizing property of auranofin in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. Citation Format: N. Rajendra Prasad, Deepika Natarajan. Auranofin sensitizes paclitaxel induced apoptotic cell death through oxidative mechanism in breast cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 5311.

Disentangling ERBB Signaling in Breast Cancer Subtypes-A Model-Based Analysis.

Simple SummaryBreast cancer subtypes are characterized by the expression and activity of estrogen-, progesterone- and HER2-receptors and differ by the treatment as well as patient prognosis. Tumors of the HER2-subtype overexpress this receptor and are successfully targeted with anti-HER2 therapies. We wanted to know if the HER2-receptor and the downstream signaling network act similarly also in the other subtypes and if this network could potentially be a therapeutic target beyond the HER2-positive subtype. To this end, we quantitatively assessed the wiring of signaling events in the individual subtypes to unravel the characteristics of HER-signaling. Our data along with a model-based analysis suggest that major parts of the intracellular signal transduction network are unchanged between the different breast cancer subtypes and that the clinical differences mostly come from the different levels at which these receptors are present in tumor cells as well as from the particular mutations that are present in individual tumors.Targeted therapies have shown striking success in the treatment of cancer over the last years. However, their specific effects on an individual tumor appear to be varying and difficult to predict. Using an integrative modeling approach that combines mechanistic and regression modeling, we gained insights into the response mechanisms of breast cancer cells due to different ligand–drug combinations. The multi-pathway model, capturing ERBB receptor signaling as well as downstream MAPK and PI3K pathways was calibrated on time-resolved data of the luminal breast cancer cell lines MCF7 and T47D across an array of four ligands and five drugs. The same model was then successfully applied to triple negative and HER2-positive breast cancer cell lines, requiring adjustments mostly for the respective receptor compositions within these cell lines. The additional relevance of cell-line-specific mutations in the MAPK and PI3K pathway components was identified via L1 regularization, where the impact of these mutations on pathway activation was uncovered. Finally, we predicted and experimentally validated the proliferation response of cells to drug co-treatments. We developed a unified mathematical model that can describe the ERBB receptor and downstream signaling in response to therapeutic drugs targeting this clinically relevant signaling network in cell line that represent three major subtypes of breast cancer. Our data and model suggest that alterations in this network could render anti-HER therapies relevant beyond the HER2-positive subtype.

Chrysin impairs genomic stability by suppressing DNA double-strand break repair in breast cancer cells

ABSTRACT Chrysin, a natural compound isolated from various plants, such as the blue passion flower (Passiflora caerulea L.), exhibits multiple pharmacological activities, such as antitumor, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Accumulating evidence shows that chrysin inhibits cancer cell growth by inducing apoptosis and regulating cell cycle arrest. However, whether chrysin is involved in regulating genomic stability and its underlying mechanisms in breast cancer cells have not been determined. Here, we demonstrated that chrysin impairs genomic stability in MCF-7 and BT474 cells, inhibits cell survival and enhances the sensitivity of MCF-7 cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. Further experiments revealed that chrysin impairs DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair, resulting in accumulation of DNA damage. Mechanistic studies showed that chrysin inhibits the recruitment of the key NHEJ factor 53BP1 and delays the recruitment of the HR factor RAD51. Thus, we elucidated novel regulatory mechanisms of chrysin in DSB repair and proposed that a combination of chrysin and chemotherapy has curative potential in breast cancers.

Receptor-Mediated Targeted Delivery of Surface-ModifiedNanomedicine in Breast Cancer: Recent Update and Challenges.

Breast cancer therapeutic intervention continues to be ambiguous owing to the lack of strategies for targeted transport and receptor-mediated uptake of drugs by cancer cells. In addition to this, sporadic tumor microenvironment, prominent restrictions with conventional chemotherapy, and multidrug-resistant mechanisms of breast cancer cells possess a big challenge to even otherwise optimal and efficacious breast cancer treatment strategies. Surface-modified nanomedicines can expedite the cellular uptake and delivery of drug-loaded nanoparticulate constructs through binding with specific receptors overexpressed aberrantly on the tumor cell. The present review elucidates the interesting yet challenging concept of targeted delivery approaches by exploiting different types of nanoparticulate systems with multiple targeting ligands to target overexpressed receptors of breast cancer cells. The therapeutic efficacy of these novel approaches in preclinical models is also comprehensively discussed in this review. It is concluded from critical analysis of related literature that insight into the translational gap between laboratories and clinical settings would provide the possible future directions to plug the loopholes in the process of development of these receptor-targeted nanomedicines for the treatment of breast cancer.

The dicyano compound induces autophagic or apoptotic cell death via Twist/c-Myc axis depending on metastatic characteristics of breast cancer cells.

Breast cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous disease with various subtypes, therefore, the illumination of distinctive mechanisms between subtypes for the development of novel treatment strategies is important. Here, we revealed the antiproliferative effects of our customized dicyano compound (DC) on BC cells. We determined the antiproliferative effect of the DC on non-metastatic MCF-7 and metastatic MDA-MB-231 cell lines by MTT. We evaluated protein levels of LC3BI-II and p62 to detect effects of the DC on autophagy. Furthermore, we examinedwhether the DC induce apoptosis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells by performing TUNEL and western blotting. We showed that the DC induces autophagic cell death in MDA-MB-231 while it leads to apoptosis in MCF-7, demonstrating that DC can induce different cell death mechanisms in BC cells according to what they represent subtypes. To understand the reason of different cell response to the DC, we evaluated the expressions of several regulator proteins involved in survival, cell arrest and proliferation. Allfindings revealed that c-Myc expression is directly correlated with autophagy induction in BC cells and it could be a marker for the selection of cell death mechanism against anti-cancer drugs. Interestingly, we showed that the overexpression of Twist, responsible for metastatic features of BC cells, imitates the effects of autophagy on c-Myc expression in MCF-7 cells, indicating that it is implicated in both the regulation of c-Myc as a upstream factor and subsequently the selection of cell death mechanisms. Taken together, we suggest that Twist/c-Myc axis may have a role in different response to the DC-induced cell death pathways in BC subtypes with different invasive characteristics.

Photodynamic Therapy Induced Cell Death Mechanisms in Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer globally and the pioneering cause of mortality among women. It usually begins from the ducts or lobules, referred to as ductal carcinoma in situ, or lobular carcinoma in situ. Age, mutations in Breast Cancer Gene 1 or 2 (BRCA1 or BRCA2) genes, and dense breast tissue are the highest risk factors. Current treatments are associated with various side effects, relapse, and a low quality of life. Although conventional treatments, such as surgery and chemotherapy, have been used for decades, their adverse side effects on normal cells and tissues pose a major weakness, which calls for a non-invasive treatment option. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has proven to be a promising form of cancer therapy. It is less invasive, target-specific, and with reduced cytotoxicity to normal cells and tissues. It involves the use of a photosensitizer (PS) and light at a specific wavelength to produce reactive oxygen species. One of the reasons for the target specificity is associated with the dense vascularization of cancer tissues, which tends to increase the surface area for the PS uptake. Photosensitizers are light-sensitive molecules, which result in cancer cell destruction followed by light irradiation. Depending on the localization of the PS within the cancer cell, its destruction may be via apoptosis, necrosis, or autophagy. This review focuses on the breast cancer etiopathology and PDT-induced cell death mechanisms in breast cancer cells.

Metformin promotes apoptosis in primary breast cancer cells by downregulation of cyclin D1 and upregulation of P53 through an AMPK-alpha independent mechanism

Background/aim In the present study we aimed to figure out the effect of metformin on the expression of AMPK-alpha, cyclin D1, and Tp53, and apoptosis in primary breast cancer cells (PBCCs).Materials and methods PBCCs were treated with two doses of metformin (0 mM, 25 mM). Proliferation was determined by BrdU assay. Real-time PCR was used to assess AMPK-alpha, cyclin D1, and Tp53 gene expressions; apoptotic indexes of PBCCs were analyzed using flow-cytometry.Results Twenty-four–hour incubation with 25 mM metformin reduced the proliferation of PBCCs. AMPK-alpha gene expression in PBCCs was not affected by 25 mM metformin treatment compared with the control group. PBCCs treated with 25 mM metformin had lower cyclin D1 expression compared with nontreated cells; however, the difference was not statistically significant. Twenty-five millimolar dose of metformin increased p53 expression significantly compared with the nontreated group. The high concentration of metformin elevated the number of annexin V-positive apoptotic cells, and the increase in the apoptotic index was statistically significant.Conclusion Metformin can modulate cyclin D1 and p53 expression through AMPK-alpha-independent mechanism in breast cancer cells, leading to cell proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction.

Nanoparticles Targeting Receptors on Breast Cancer for Efficient Delivery of Chemotherapeutics.

The journey of chemotherapeutic drugs from the site of administration to the site of action is confronted by several factors including low bioavailability, uneven distribution in major organs, limited accessibility of drug molecules to the distant tumor tissues, and lower therapeutic indexes. These unavoidable features of classical chemotherapeutics necessitate an additional high, repetitive dose of drugs to obtain maximum therapeutic responses with the result of unintended adverse side effects. An erratic tumor microenvironment, notable drawbacks of conventional chemotherapy, and multidrug-resistant mechanisms of breast cancer cells warrant precisely designed therapeutics for the treatment of cancers. In recent decades, nanoparticles have been deployed for the delivery of standard anticancer drugs to maximize the therapeutic potency while minimizing the adverse effects to increase the quality and span of life. Several organic and inorganic nanoplatforms that have been designed exploiting the distinctive features of the tumor microenvironment and tumor cells offer favorable physicochemical properties and pharmacokinetic profiles of a parent drug, with delivery of higher amounts of the drug to the pathological site and its controlled release, thereby improving the balance between its efficacy and toxicity. Advances to this front have included design and construction of targeted nanoparticles by conjugating homing devices like peptide, ligand, and Fab on the surface of nanomaterials to navigate nanoparticledrug complexes towards the target tumor cell with minimal destruction of healthy cells. Furthermore, actively targeting nanoparticles can facilitate the delivery and cellular uptake of nanoparticle-loaded drug constructs via binding with specific receptors expressed aberrantly on the surface of a tumor cell. Herein, we present an overview of the principle of targeted delivery approaches, exploiting drug-nanoparticle conjugates with multiple targeting moieties to target specific receptors of breast cancer cells and highlighting therapeutic evaluation in preclinical studies. We conclude that an understanding of the translational gap and challenges would show the possible future directions to foster the development of novel targeted nanotherapeutics.

The BRCA1 Pseudogene Negatively Regulates Antitumor Responses through Inhibition of Innate Immune Defense Mechanisms.

Innate immune defense mechanisms play a pivotal role in antitumor responses. Recent evidence suggests that antiviral innate immunity is regulated not only by exogenous non-self-RNA but also by host-derived pseudogene RNAs. A growing body of evidence also indicates a biological role for pseudogenes as gene expression regulators or immune modulators. Here, we report an important role for BRCA1P1, the pseudogene of the BRCA1 tumor-suppressor gene, in regulating innate immune defense mechanisms in breast cancer cells. BRCA1P1 expresses a long-noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in breast cancer cells through divergent transcription. Expression of lncRNA-BRCA1P1 is increased in breast tumors compared with normal breast tissues. Depletion of BRCA1P1 induces an antiviral defense-like program, including the expression of antiviral genes in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, BRCA1P1-deficient cancer cells mimic virus-infected cells by stimulating cytokines and inducing cell apoptosis. Accordingly, depletion of BRCA1P1 increases host innate immune responses and restricts virus replication. In converse, overexpression of BRCA1P1 reduces cytokine expression in breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, lncRNA-BRCA1P1 is localized in the nucleus, binds to the NF-κB subunit RelA, and negatively regulates antiviral gene expression. Finally, in a xenograft mouse model of breast cancer, depletion of BRCA1P1 stimulates cytokine expression and local immunity, and suppresses tumor growth. Our results suggest an important role for BRCA1P1 in innate immune defense mechanisms and antitumor responses. This mechanism of antiviral immunity regulated by a host-derived pseudogene RNA may guide the development of novel therapies targeting immune responses in breast cancer. SIGNIFICANCE: This study identifies a novel mechanism of innate immunity driven by a host pseudogene RNA that inhibits innate immune defense mechanisms and antitumor responses through regulation of antiviral gene expression.

ZMYND8 Expression in Breast Cancer Cells Blocks T-Lymphocyte Surveillance to Promote Tumor Growth.

Emerging studies indicate that DNA damage in cancer cells triggers antitumor immunity, but its intrinsic regulatory mechanism in breast cancer cells remains poorly understood. Here, we show that ZMYND8 is upregulated and inhibits micronucleus formation and DNA damage in breast cancer cells. Loss of ZMYND8 triggered activation of the DNA sensor cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase in micronuclei, leading to further activation of the downstream signaling effectors stimulator of IFN genes and NF-κB, but not TANK-binding kinase 1 and IFN regulatory factor 3, thereby inducing the expression of IFNβ and IFN-stimulated genes (ISG) in breast cancer cells in vitro and tumors in vivo. ZMYND8 knockout (KO) in breast cancer cells promoted infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, leading to tumor inhibition in syngeneic mouse models, which was significantly attenuated by treatment of anti-CD4/CD8-depleting antibodies or anti-IFNAR1 antibody and in immunodeficient Rag1 KO mice. In human breast tumors, ZMYND8 was negatively correlated with ISGs, CD4, CD8A, CD8B, and the tumor-lymphocyte infiltration phenotype. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that maintenance of genome stability by ZMYND8 causes breast cancer cells to evade cytotoxic T-lymphocyte surveillance, which leads to tumor growth. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings show that ZMYND8 is a new negative and intrinsic regulator of the innate immune response in breast tumor cells, and ZMYND8 may be a possible target for antitumor immunotherapy.

Adipocyte-Derived Leptin Promotes PAI-1 -Mediated Breast Cancer Metastasis in a STAT3/miR-34a Dependent Manner.

Simple SummaryAlthough adipocytes affect the metastatic behavior of cancer cells, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely elusive. Thereby, we sought to screen for the signaling pathways responsible for adipocyte-induced motility of breast cancer cells by employing a breast cancer cell/adipocyte coculture system. Our study revealed that adipocyte coculture stimulated PAI-1 expression in breast cancer cells to potentiate cell motility. Furthermore, we obtained evidence that adipocytes secreted leptin to activate OBR in breast cancer cells, which phosphorylated STAT3 to promote the transcription of PAI-1 and repress the expression of miR-34a as the negative regulator of PAI-1. Our study provides new evidence for the involvement of adipocytes in breast cancer evolution, which advances the evolving roles of stromal cells in tumor pathogenesis.The crosstalk between cancer cells and adipocytes is critical for breast cancer progression. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions have not been fully characterized. In the present study, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) was found to be a critical effector of the metastatic behavior of breast cancer cells upon adipocyte coculture. Loss-of-function studies indicated that silencing PAI-1 suppressed cancer cell migration. Furthermore, we found that PAI-1 was closely related to the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in breast cancer patients. A loss-of-function study and a mammary orthotopic implantation metastasis model showed that PAI-1 promoted breast cancer metastasis by affecting the EMT process. In addition, we revealed that leptin/OBR mediated the regulation of PAI-1 through the interactions between adipocytes and breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, we elucidated that leptin/OBR further activated STAT3 to promote PAI-1 expression via miR-34a–dependent and miR-34a–independent mechanisms in breast cancer cells. In conclusion, our study suggests that targeting PAI-1 and interfering with its upstream regulators may benefit breast cancer patients.

Histone Acetylation Modification H4K16ac Involved in Notch1 Signaling in Breast Cancer

The Notch signaling pathway is a fundamental intercellular signaling system that regulates cell fate decisions in terms of proliferation and differentiation in multiple tissues. Abnormal activation of Notch1 signaling pathway leads to a variety of diseases, including the malignant tumors. Dysregulated Notch receptor activity has been implicated in breast cancer but the epigenetic mechanisms remains not clear. Compared to adjacent tissues, high expression of NIC1 and low expression of H4K16ac were found in cancer tissues. Notch1 knocked down in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7 resulted in increased H4K16ac expression and a parallel reduction in their proliferation and migration capacity. Our study prompting H4K16ac to participate in the signal transduction of Notch1 in breast cancer cells. These results confirm Notch1 as a signal triggering epigenetic mechanisms in breast cancer cells, which may have implications in tumor dissemination, metastasis and proliferation. The identification of specific factors interacting with NOTCH signaling could thus be relevant to fully understanding the role of NOTCH in breast neoplasia.

Inhibition of DNA Repair Pathways and Induction of ROS Are Potential Mechanisms of Action of the Small Molecule Inhibitor BOLD-100 in Breast Cancer.

Simple SummaryBOLD-100 is a novel ruthenium-based drug that has shown anti-tumor effects in several human cancers. In this study, we investigated the biochemical changes associated with BOLD-100 in human breast cancer cell models to better understand how this drug inhibits cancer cell growth. We found that treatment with BOLD-100 induced chemically unstable reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced proteins that help repair DNA in breast cancer cells. When combined with other drugs that target the DNA repair pathway, such as olaparib, BOLD-100 promoted more DNA damage and cell death compared with olaparib alone in estrogen receptor negative (ER-) breast cancer cells. ER- breast cancer is an aggressive form of breast cancer without any specific targeted therapy. Thus, our findings provide the rationale for a novel combination therapeutic strategy with BOLD-100 for ER- breast cancer subtype that could be investigated in clinical trials. BOLD-100, a ruthenium-based complex, sodium trans-[tetrachloridobis (1H-indazole) ruthenate (III)] (also known as IT-139, NKP1339 or KP1339), is a novel small molecule drug that demonstrated a manageable safety profile at the maximum tolerated dose and modest antitumor activity in a phase I clinical trial. BOLD-100 has been reported to inhibit the upregulation of the endoplasmic reticulum stress sensing protein GRP78. However, response to BOLD-100 varies in different cancer models and the precise mechanism of action in high-response versus low-response cancer cells remains unclear. In vitro studies have indicated that BOLD-100 induces cytostatic rather than cytotoxic effects as a monotherapy. To understand BOLD-100-mediated signaling mechanism in breast cancer cells, we used estrogen receptor positive (ER+) MCF7 breast cancer cells to obtain gene-metabolite integrated models. At 100 μM, BOLD-100 significantly reduced cell proliferation and expression of genes involved in the DNA repair pathway. BOLD-100 also induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phosphorylation of histone H2AX, gamma-H2AX (Ser139), suggesting disruption of proper DNA surveillance. In estrogen receptor negative (ER−) breast cancer cells, combination of BOLD-100 with a PARP inhibitor, olaparib, induced significant inhibition of cell growth and xenografts and increased gamma-H2AX. Thus, BOLD-100 is a novel DNA repair pathway targeting agent and can be used with other chemotherapies in ER− breast cancer.

Ether lipid and sphingolipid expression patterns are estrogen receptor-dependently altered in breast cancer cells.

Identifying co-expression of lipid species is challenging, but indispensable to identify novel therapeutic targets for breast cancer treatment. Lipid metabolism is often dysregulated in cancer cells, and changes in lipid metabolism affect cellular processes such as proliferation, autophagy, and tumor development. In addition to mRNA analysis of sphingolipid metabolizing enzymes, we performed liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis in three breast cancer cell lines. These breast cancer cell lines differ in estrogen receptor and G-protein coupled estrogen receptor 1 status. Our data show that sphingolipids and non-sphingolipids are strongly increased in SKBr3 cells. SKBr3 cells are estrogen receptor negative and G-protein coupled estrogen receptor 1 positive. Treatment with G15, a G-protein coupled estrogen receptor 1 antagonist, abolishes the effect of increased sphingolipid and non-sphingolipid levels in SKBr3 cells. In particular, ether lipids are expressed at much higher levels in cancer compared to normal cells and are strongly increased in SKBr3 cells. Our analysis reveals that this is accompanied by increased sphingolipid levels such as ceramide, sphingadiene-ceramide and sphingomyelin. This shows the importance of focusing on more than one lipid class when investigating molecular mechanisms in breast cancer cells. Our analysis allows unbiased screening for different lipid classes leading to identification of co-expression patterns of lipids in the context of breast cancer. Co-expression of different lipid classes could influence tumorigenic potential of breast cancer cells. Identification of co-regulated lipid species is important to achieve improved breast cancer treatment outcome.

Molecular mechanisms underlying progesterone receptor action in breast cancer: Insights into cell proliferation and stem cell regulation

The ovarian steroid hormone progesterone and its nuclear receptor, the Progesterone Receptor (PR), play an essential role in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation in the mammary gland. In addition, experimental and clinical evidence demonstrate their critical role in controlling mammary gland tumorigenesis and breast cancer development. When bound to its ligand, the main action of PR is as a transcription factor, which regulates the expression of target genes networks. PR also activates signal transduction pathways through a rapid or non-genomic mechanism in breast cancer cells, an event that is fully integrated with its genomic effects. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms of the ligand-activated PR actions that drive epithelial cell proliferation and the regulation of the stem cell population in the normal breast and in breast cancer.

Bone sialoprotein-αvβ3 integrin axis promotes breast cancer metastasis to the bone.

The underlying mechanisms of breast cancer cells metastasizing to distant sites are complex and multifactorial. Bone sialoprotein (BSP) and αvβ3 integrin were reported to promote the metastatic progress of breast cancer cells, particularly metastasis to bone. Most theories presume that BSP promotes breast cancer metastasis by binding to αvβ3 integrin. Interestingly, we found the αvβ3 integrin decreased in BSP silenced cells (BSPi), which have weak ability to form bone metastases. However, the relevance of their expression in primary tumor and the way they participate in metastasis are not clear. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between BSP, αvβ3 integrin levels, and the bone metastatic ability of breast cancer cells in patient tissues, and the data indicated that the αvβ3 integrin level is closely correlated to BSP level and metastatic potential. Overexpression of αvβ3 integrin in cancer cells could reverse the effect of BSPi in vitro and promote bone metastasis in a mouse model, whereas knockdown of αvβ3 integrin have effects just like BSPi. Moreover, The Cancer Genome Atlas data and RT‐PCR analysis have also shown that SPP1, KCNK2, and PTK2B might be involved in this process. Thus, we propose that αvβ3 integrin is one of the downstream factors regulated by BSP in the breast cancer‐bone metastatic cascade.