Treatment Of MCF-7 Cells Research Articles

Tupistra chinensis a traditional Chinese plant suppresses tumor growth and metastasis in vitro against ER positive and triple negative breast cancer

AimTo investigate the effects of Tupichinol E, an alkaloid present in Tupistra chinensis BAKER (Liliaceae), on the metastasis of triple-negative mammary carcinoma in vitro and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Tupichinol E binding to EGFR stabilizes the protein structure and is a pharmacologically active substance that can be used against cancer due to its potent activity. MethodsThe growth of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells was assessed using the MTT assay. The apoptosis and cell cycle of MCF-7 cells were evaluated with flow cytometry, and the related proteins were examined using Western blotting. ResultsTupichinol E (50–200 μmol/L) inhibits the growth of MCF-7 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner (the IC50 values are 85.05 ± 1.08 and 50.52 ± 1.06 μmol/L, respectively, at 48 and 72 h). Treatment of MCF-7 cells with Tupichinol E (50–200 μmol/L) dose-dependently induced apoptosis of MCF-7 cells, accompanying the activation of caspase 3. The cells treated with Tupichinol E (100 and 200 μmol/L) significantly increased the percentage of cells in the G2/M phase with a reduction in the expression of cyclin B1. ConclusionThese results demonstrated that Tupichinol E is an effective anti-tumor compound in vitro and has the potential to be developed as a new anticancer drug.

Gaillardin inhibits autophagy and induces apoptosis in MCF-7 breast cancer cells by regulating JAK/STAT pathway.

Gaillardin is a potent anti-cancer sesquiterpene lactone found in Inula oculus-christi. The present study examined the effects of gaillardin on apoptosis and autophagy in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. The MTT assay was used to unravel the antiproliferative effects of gaillardin on MCF-7 cells. The expression of apoptosis-related genes including CASP3, BAX, BCL2, STAT3, and JAK2, and key markers of autophagy such as ATG1, ATG4, ATG5, ATG7, ATG12, BECN1, and MAP1LC3A were measured by real time-PCR method. The protein expression of Caspase 3, phosphorylated JAK2, phosphorylated STAT3, ATG1, ATG4, ATG5, ATG12, Beclin1, and LC-III was determined using western blotting. Gaillardin treatment significantly decreased the proliferation of MCF-7 cells with a parallel upregulation of the level of pro-apoptotic caspase-3 enzyme with no effect on Bax and Bcl2 expression. The levels of phosphorylated and active forms of JAK2 and STAT3 proteins were reduced following the treatment of MCF-7 cells with gaillardin. This sesquiterpene lactone com-pound considerably downregulated the levels of six autophagy markers, including ATG1, ATG4, ATG5, ATG12, Beclin1, and LC-III in MCF-7 cells. These data indicated the apoptosis-inducing activity of gaillardin in MCF-7 cells by a mechanism that inhibits the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. Further, autophagy inhibition was the other phenomenon caused by gaillardin in MCF-7 cells. These results can provide evidence to highlight the role of gaillardin as a novel therapeutic for the treatment of breast cancer.

Anti-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic properties of the polyherbal drug, MAT20, in MCF-7 cells

Breast cancer remains a serious health issue with approximately 2.3 million women diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020. Standard treatment approaches include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. However, these treatments have side effects such as drug resistance, metastasis, and relapse. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate alternative therapy approaches that may mitigate the adverse effects of standard therapies. The emerging field of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) presents an intriguing possibility of using natural products as therapeutics. The main objective of this study was assessing the anticancer efficacy of MAT20, a polyherbal formulation with extracts of moringa, amla, and tulsi. In this study, we examined the anti-inflammatory properties of MAT20, along with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), on the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Specifically, we assessed the expression of the COX2 gene, a key marker of inflammation. We hypothesized that the addition of MAT20, targeting COX2 downregulation, may have a dual impact by not only reducing inflammation but also regulating programmed cell death pathways by apoptotic gene expression studies. Our results demonstrated that MAT20 decreased the PMA-induced COX2 expression in MCF-7 cells. MAT20 treatment in MCF-7 cells showed upregulation of BAX and BAD (pro-apoptotic genes) and downregulation of BCL2 and BCL2L1 (anti-apoptotic genes) in MCF-7 cells. Overall, our results showed that MAT20 may have anti-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic effects on MCF-7 cells.

The Root Extracts of Valeriana Officinalis L. may Control Programmed Cell Death Pathways in Breast Cancer Cell Line, MCF-7

Natural product-derived phytochemicals are now accepted as promising agents in developing new strategies for cancer treatment and prevention. The root extracts of valerian (Valeriana officinalis L.), which is a supplement widely used for improving circadian rhythm-dependent sleep disorders and insomnia, might be a good candidate in that context. In the present study we hypothesized whether extract of valerian root induce programmed cell death machineries in a human breast cancer model, MCF-7 cells. To test the hypothesis, we treated MCF-7 cells with the extract at different concentrations for 24 h. Giemsa staining was used to evaluate the apoptotic morphology and apoptotic index, and monodancylcadaverine assay was used to determine vacuoles that are associated with autophagic flux. Our results indicated that extracts of the roots of valerian have apototic and autophagic effect on human breast cancer cell MCF-7 in a dose dependent manner. Moreover, the typical cobblestone morphology of the cells was disrupted after the extract treatments and the cells lost contact with each other. This morphological alteration was attributed to anoikis, is a programmed cell death type induced by loss of cell communication with extracellular matrix or neighboring cells. In conclusion, although this study has many methodological shortcomings, our findings suggest that Valeriana officinalis L. might be a potential anti-cancer agent for the treatment of breast cancer.

Polyphenol modified CuO nanorods capped by kappa-carrageenan for controlled paclitaxel release in furnishing targeted chemotherapy in breast carcinoma cells

The present work deals with the construction of a nanoscale system that can deliver chemotherapeutic agents to breast cancer cells in a controlled trend. The framework consists of gallic acid functionalized copper oxide nanoparticles (Ga@CuO) loaded with paclitaxel (PTX). To control the release of PTX, Ga@CuO NPs were coated with a red seaweed, Kappa carrageenan (K-carr) layer, and embellished with folic acid (FA) to enhance the targeted chemotherapy approach. Encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of PTX loaded Ga@CuO@K-carr/FA NPs were estimated to be 84.58 ± 1.85 % and 13.2 ± 0.22 %, respectively. Moreover, the presence of strong cytotoxicity with an IC50 value of 12 ± 2.0 μg/mL and a high percentage of apoptotic cells (40.25 %) within the treated MCF-7 cells provided further evidence of the effective release of PTX from the loaded Ga@CuO@K-carr/FA. Consequently, it was discovered that the altered metabolic activity of cancer cells and the inhibition of cell proliferation are distinct features of apoptotic cell death induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Also, it was noted that treatment of MCF-7 cells with Ga@CuO-PTX@K-carr/FA caused a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential that resulted in cellular apoptosis. Taken together, this study sheds light on the rational design of Ga@CuO-PTX@K-carr/FA, which offers a suitable candidate to transport drugs at an intracellular level for targeted chemotherapy.

Computer-assisted drug discovery (CADD) of an anti-cancer derivative of the theobromine alkaloid inhibiting VEGFR-2

VEGFR-2 is a significant target in cancer treatment, inhibiting angiogenesis and impeding tumor growth. Utilizing the essential pharmacophoric structural properties, a new semi-synthetic theobromine analogue (T-1-MBHEPA) was designed as VEGFR-2 inhibitor. Firstly, T-1-MBHEPA's stability and reactivity were indicated through several DFT computations. Additionally, molecular docking, MD simulations, MM-GPSA, PLIP, and essential dynamics (ED) experiments suggested T-1-MBHEPA's strong binding capabilities to VEGFR-2. Its computational ADMET profiles were also studied before the semi-synthesis and indicated a good degree of drug-likeness. T-1-MBHEPA was then semi-synthesized to evaluate the design and the in silico findings. It was found that, T-1-MBHEPA inhibited VEGFR-2 with an IC50 value of 0.121 ± 0.051 µM, as compared to sorafenib which had an IC50 value of 0.056 µM. Similarly, T-1-MBHEPA inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 and MCF7 cell lines with IC50 values of 4.61 and 4.85 µg/mL respectively - comparing sorafenib's IC50 values which were 2.24 µg/mL and 3.17 µg/mL respectively. Interestingly, T-1-MBHEPA revealed a noteworthy IC50 value of 80.0 µM against the normal cell lines exhibiting exceptionally high selectivity indexes (SI) of 17.4 and 16. 5 against the examined cell lines, respectively. T-1-MBHEPA increased the percentage of apoptotic MCF7 cells in early and late stages, respectively, from 0.71 % to 7.22 % and from 0.13 % to 2.72 %, while the necrosis percentage was increased to 11.41 %, in comparison to 2.22 % in control cells. Furthermore, T-1-MBHEPA reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-2 in the treated MCF7 cells by 33 % and 58 %, respectively indicating an additional anti-angiogenic mechanism. Also, T-1-MBHEPA decreased significantly the potentialities of MCF7 cells to heal and migrate from 65.9 % to 7.4 %. Finally, T-1-MBHEPA’s oral treatment didn’t show toxicity on the liver function (ALT and AST) and the kidney function (creatinine and urea) levels of mice.

Exosomes isolated from metabolically unhealthy normal weight and overweight phenotypes deteriorate the ER/PR positive breast cancer behavior.

Obesity has been linked to a higher risk of postmenopausal breast cancer Yet, research indicates an opposite correlation between obesity and premenopausal breast cancer risk. Various obesity phenotypes based on metabolic health could play a significant part. This study aims to assess how plasma exosomes taken from women with varying obesity phenotypes impact MCF-7 cell migration, matrix metalloproteinase-2 activity, and apoptosis. The characterization of isolated exosomes and their internalization into MCF-7 cells was evaluated. The treatment of MCF-7 cells with exosomes isolated from different groups was done. Migration, the activity of MMP-2, mRNA expression of Bax and Bcl-2, protein expression of p-53 and Thr55 p-p53, and apoptosis were assessed. Isolated exosomes from unhealthy obese individuals increase MCF-7 cell migration. Regarding MMP activities, unhealthy normal weight and overweight and healthy obese groups isolated exosomes increase the MMP-2 activity than the treated group with exosomes isolated from counterpart groups. Furthermore, unhealthy normal weight and overweight and healthy obese obtained exosomes decrease apoptosis compared to counterpart groups. Altogether, plasma exosomes derived from both unhealthy individuals with normal weight and overweight status, as well as those with unhealthy obesity, negatively impacted the behavior of estrogen/progesterone receptor-positive breast cancer cells. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-023-01295-1.

EFFECT OF ANTI-TSLPR MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY ON VIABILITY, PROAPOPTOTIC GENES EXPRESSION, AND PRODUCTION OF PRO-INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES IN MCF-7 AND A549 CELLS.

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and its receptor (TSLPR) are expressed in various cancer cells. However, their role in cancer development is not well defined. To investigate the effects of anti-TSLPR antibody on the viability, proapoptotic genes expression, and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in MCF-7 and A549 cancer cells. MCF-7 and A549 cells were exposed to anti-TSLPR monoclonal antibody for 24, 48, and 72 h. The effect on cell viability was examined by MTT assay. The expression levels of TP53, BAX, and CASP3 genes were evaluated by the quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Levels of interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and transforming growth factor (TGF-β1) were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The treatment of MCF-7 cells with anti- TSLPR antibody slightly stimulates cell proliferation after 48 h and 72 h following initial cytotoxicity in 24 h with a significant reduction in IL-6 and TNF-α production. A significant increase in the BAX expression in anti-TSLPR treated cells at a concentration of 2.5 μg/ml at 24-h point was evident. In anti-TSLPR-treated A549 cells, no decrease in cell count was observed, and slight dose-dependent stimulation of cell proliferation was evident in 48 h and 72 h of culture. A significant increase in TP53, BAX, and CASP3 expression upon treatment with 2.5 μg/ml of anti-TSLPR was evident in A549 cells. The effects of anti-TSLPR on cell viability, proapoptotic gene expression, and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) vary in MCF-7 and A549 cells.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Anticancer Activity of New N,N'-Diarylthiourea Derivative against Breast Cancer Cells.

The goal of the current study was to prepare two new homologous series of N,N'-diarylurea and N,N'-diarylthiourea derivatives to investigate the therapeutic effects of these derivatives on the methodologies of inhibition directed on human MCF-7 cancer cells. The molecular structures of the prepared derivatives were successfully revealed through elemental analyses, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy. The cytotoxic results showed that Diarylthiourea (compound 4) was the most effective in suppressing MCF-7 cell growth when compared to all other prepared derivatives, with the most effective IC50 value (338.33 ± 1.52 µM) after an incubation period of 24 h and no cytotoxic effects on normal human lung cells (wi38 cells). Using the annexin V/PI and comet tests, respectively, treated MCF-7 cells with this IC50 value of the Diarylthiourea 4 compound displayed a considerable increase in early and late apoptotic cells, as well as an intense comet nucleus in comparison to control cells. An arrest of the cell cycle in the S phase was observed via flow cytometry in MCF-7 cells treated with the Diarylthiourea 4 compound, suggesting the onset of apoptosis. Additionally, ELISA research showed that caspase-3 was upregulated in MCF-7 cells treated with compound 4 compared to control cells, suggesting that DNA damage induced by compound 4 may initiate an intrinsic apoptotic pathway and activate caspase-3. These results contributed to recognizing that the successfully prepared Diarylthiourea 4 compound inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cancer cells by arresting the S cell cycle and caspase-3 activation via an intrinsic apoptotic route. These results, however, need to be verified through in vivo studies utilizing an animal model.

Cytotoxic Effect of New (E)‐2‐Cyano‐N‐(tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophen‐2‐yl)acrylamide Derivatives: Down‐Regulation of RBL2 and STAT2 and Triggering of DNA Damage in Breast Carcinoma

AbstractA novel series of 2‐cyano‐N‐(tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophen‐2‐yl)acrylamide derivatives were synthesized and their structures were confirmed using several spectral tools. All compounds were subjected to MTT assay to elucidate their cytotoxic effect against human hepatocellular carcinoma (HEPG2), human Caucasian breast adenocarcinoma (MCF7), human pancreatic cancer cell line (PACA2), human prostate cancer cell line (PC3), and normal skin fibroblast (BJ1). Among them, the acrylamide derivatives 5, 10 and 14 exerted potent activities against MCF7 with IC50 values of 61.2, 66.4, and 55.3 μg/ml respectively. A molecular docking was performed to study the possibility of the molecular binding of these three compounds with the active site of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 protein (STAT1). Gene expression analysis demonstrated the significant down‐regulation of RBL2 (RB transcriptional corepressor like 2) and STAT2 (Signal transducer and activator of transcription 2) in treated MCF7 cells and also showed the significant effect in down‐regulating KRAS (Ki‐ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog) and SMAD (Sma and Mad proteins) genes in PC3 cells. Comet assay revealed the best effect of Ethyl 2‐(2‐cyano‐3‐(3,4‐dimethoxyphenyl)acrylamido)‐4,5,6,7‐tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophene‐3‐carboxylate in damaging the DNA of MCF7 cells (18.75±1.50 %). Also, DNA fragmentation was studied electrophoretically, which confirmed the results of the comet assay.

Design, synthesis, in vitro anticancer, molecular docking and SAR studies of new series of pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives

The current study involves the design and synthesis of a newly synthesized pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives to contain chlorine atoms in positions 4 and 6 and trichloromethyl group in position 2 using microwave technique as a new and robust approach for preparation of this type of pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives. The chemical structure of the synthesized pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives 3–19 was well-characterized using spectral and elemental analyses as well as single-crystal X-ray diffraction. All compounds were tested in vitro against seven selected human cancer cell lines, namely, MCF7, A549, HCT116, PC3, HePG2, PACA2 and BJ1 using MTT assay. It was found that compounds 14a, 16b and 18b were the most active toward MCF7 with IC50 (1.7, 5.7, and 3.4 μg/ml, respectively) relative to doxorubicin (Dox.) (26.1 μg/ml). Additionally, compound 17 exerted promising cytotoxic effects against HePG2 and PACA2 with IC50 (8.7 and 6.4 μg/ml, respectively) relative to Dox. (21.6 and 28.3 μg/ml, respectively). The molecular docking study confirmed our ELISA result which showed the promising binding affinities of compounds 14a and 17 against Bcl2 anti-apoptotic protein. At the gene expression level, P53, BAX, DR4 and DR5 were up-regulated, while Bcl2, Il-8, and CDK4 were down-regulated in 14a, 14b and 18b treated MCF7 cells. At the protein level, compound 14b increased the activity of Caspase 8 and BAX (18.263 and 14.25 pg/ml) relative to Dox. (3.99 and 4.92 pg/ml, respectively), while the activity of Bcl2 was greatly decreased in 14a treated MCF7 (2.4 pg/ml) compared with Dox. (14.37 pg/ml). Compounds 14a and 14b caused cell cycle arrest at the G1/S phase in MCF7. Compounds 16b and 18b induced the apoptotic death of MCF7 cells. In addition, the percentage of fragmented DNA was increased significantly in 14a treated MCF7 cells.

Biological evaluation of [4-(4-aminophenyl)-1-(4-fluorophenyl)-1H-pyrrol-3-yl](3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)methanone as potential antineoplastic agent in 2D and 3D breast cancer models.

Targeting tubulin polymerization and depolymerization represents a promising approach to treat solid tumors. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the anticancer effects of a structurally novel tubulin inhibitor, [4-(4-aminophenyl)-1-(4-fluorophenyl)-1H-pyrrol-3-yl](3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)methanone (ARDAP), in two- and three-dimensional MCF-7 breast cancer models. At sub-cytotoxic concentrations, ARDAP showed a marked decrease in cell proliferation, colony formation, and ATP intracellular content in MCF-7 cells, by acting through a cytostatic mechanism. Additionally, drug exposure caused blockage of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In 3D cell culture, ARDAP negatively affected tumor spheroid growth, with inhibition of spheroid formation and reduction of ATP concentration levels. Notably, ARDAP exposure promoted the differentiation of MCF-7 cells by inducing: (i) expression decrease of Oct4 and Sox2 stemness markers, both in 2D and 3D models, and (ii) downregulation of the stem cell surface marker CD133 in 2D cell cultures. Interestingly, treated MCF7 cells displayed a major sensitivity to cytotoxic effects of the conventional chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin. In addition, although exhibiting growth inhibitory effects against breast cancer cells, ARDAP showed insignificant harm to MCF10A healthy cells. Collectively, our results highlight the potential of ARDAP to emerge as a new chemotherapeutic agent or adjuvant compound in chemotherapeutic treatments.

Organogold(III)-dithiocarbamate compounds and their coordination analogues as anti-tumor and anti-leishmanial metallodrugs

The limited chemical stability of gold(III)-based compounds in physiological environment has been a challenge in drug discovery, and organometallic chemistry might provide the solution to overcome this issue. In this work, four novel cationic organogold(III)-dithiocarbamate complexes of general structure [(C^N)AuIIIDTC]PF6 (C1a – C4a, DTC = dithiocarbamate, L1 – L4, C^N = 2-anilinopyridine) are presented, and compared to their coordination gold(III)-dithiocarbamate analogues [AuIIIDTCCl2] (C1b – C4b), as potential anti-cancer and anti-leishmanial drugs. Most of the complexes effectively inhibited cancer cell growth, notably C3a presented anti-proliferative effect in the nanomolar range against breast cancer (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells with moderate selectivity. Pro-apoptotic studies on treated MCF-7 cells showed a high population of cells in early apoptosis. Reactivity studies of C3a towards model thiols (N-acetyl-L-cysteine) refer to a possible mode of action involving bonding between the organogold(III)-core and the thiolate. In the scope of neglected diseases, gold complexes are emerging as promising therapeutic alternatives against leishmaniasis. In this regard, all gold(III)-dithiocarbamate complexes presented anti-leishmanial activity against at least one Leishmania species. Complexes C1a, C4a, C1b, C4b were active against all tested parasites with IC50 values varying between 0.12 and 42 μM, and, overall, organometallic compounds presented more intriguing inhibition profiles. For C4a selectivity over 500-fold for L. braziliensis; even higher than the reference anti-leishmanial drug amphotericin B. Overall, our findings revealed that the organogold(III) moiety significantly amplified the anti-cancer and anti-leishmanial effects with respect to the coordination analogues; thus, showing the great potential of organometallic chemistry in metallodrug-based chemotherapy for cancer and leishmaniasis.

Serum Levels Evaluation of TMSB10 and Endocan in Breast Cancer Patients and In-Vitro Study of Chrysin Effect on These Markers in MCF-7 cell line

ABSTRACT Thymosin beta-10 (TMSB10) and Endocan (END) are key regulators of tumorigenesis. However, limited studies have assessed the effect of chrysin on TMSB10 and END in breast cancer (BC) cell lines. This research aimed to evaluate TMSB10 and END serum levels in BC patients. Moreover, it aimed to evaluate the effect of Chrysin on these tumor markers in MCF-7 cells. Therefore, samples were collected from 50 BC patients to evaluate TMSB10 and END serum levels as a clinical estimation trail using ELISA followed by evaluation for chrysin effect on TMSB10 and END levels as antiproliferative treatment in MCF-7 cells. Serum TMSB10 and END were significantly elevated (P = 0.002 and 0.015) in BC patients than in controls. TMSB10 and END demonstrated a sensitivity of 62% and 60%, and proved to be a prognostic indicator for metastasis at a cut-off value ≥535.6 ng/mL and 720.83 pg/mL in BC. Chrysin inhibited the growth of MCF-7 cells and suppressed the TMSB10 and END levels. Accordingly, TMSB10 and END could be prospective serum biomarkers for tumorigenesis and development of BC, while chrysin might be a promising treatment agent to halt the progression of cancer whose effectiveness needs to be further investigated.

Chemotherapy-induced exosomal circBACH1 promotes breast cancer resistance and stemness via miR-217/G3BP2 signaling pathway

BackgroundChemoresistance involves metastasis and aggressiveness of breast cancer (BC). Chemotherapy-elicited exosomes have been reported to be associated with drug resistance and pro-metastatic capacity of BC cells. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are enriched in exosomes, which participated in generation, progression, and resistance of BC. However, the mechanism underlying the chemoresistance and metastasis in BC cells mediated by the BC-derived exosomal ncRNAs remained to be elucidated.MethodsThe effects of PTX-induced exosomal circBACH1 on BC cell function were assessed using RNA Binding Protein Immunoprecipitation (RIP), dual luciferase reporter gene, tube formation, CCK-8, and Western Blot assays. The circBACH1 and miR-217 expression levels were detected using quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) and Immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays in BC tissues and precancerous tissues of BC patients.ResultsCircBACH1 expression was increased in paclitaxel-treated BC-derived exosomes (PTX-EXO) and BC tissue. PTX-EXO was shown to promote PTX-resistance and angiogenesis through upregulation circBACH1. Downregulation of circBACH1 improved PTX-sensitiveness by suppressing the cell viability, stemness, migration, and angiogenesis of BC cells. Moreover, we found that miR-217 interacted with circBACH1 and targeted GTPase-activating SH3 domain-binding protein 2 (G3BP2) in BC cells. CircBACH1 combined miR-217 cotransfection suppressed the expression of G3BP2 proteins compared with circBACH1 treatment in MCF-7 cells. In addition, downregulation of G3BP2 suppressed BC cell migration.ConclusionsThese results demonstrated that PTX-induced exosomal circBACH1 promoted stemness and migration of BC cells by sponging miR-217 to upregulate the expression of G3BP2, which provided a new therapeutic target for PTX-resistance and progression of BC via circBACH1/miR-217/G3BP2 axis.

Design, synthesis and tubulin polymerization inhibition activity of newly synthesized hydrazone-linked to combretastatin analogues as potential anticancer agents

A new series of hydrazone derivatives were synthesized by varying the active part (hydrazide group) of cis-vinyl amide derivatives, characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR spectral data and screened for their cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Results indicated that compounds 3 g, 3k and 4 were potent cytotoxic agents (IC50 = 4.02–5.36 μM) relative to CA-4 as a reference compound. The most active hydrazinyl compounds were further evaluated for the β-tubulin inhibition activity. Cellular cycle analysis of the inhibitory effect of N-(furan-2-ylmethylene)hydrazinyl 4 on each phase of the cell cycle of breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells was investigated using flow cytometric analysis. Test compound elicited cellular cycle arrest at G2/M phase. Annexin V dual staining analysis results revealed that treatment of MCF-7 cells with N-(furan-2-ylmethylene)hydrazinyl 4 increase the percentage of apoptosis compared to negative untreated control. Besides, N-(furan-2-ylmethylene)hydrazinyl 4 induced apoptosis via decreased the level of mitochondrial membrane potential relative to untreated control cells as revealed by flow cytometry analysis. Moreover, molecular modeling investigations were conducted to clarify the manner in which the most potent compound binds within the tubulin's colchicine-binding pocket, thereby elucidating the reasons behind its exceptional cytotoxicity and its superior ability to inhibit tubulin when compared to CA-4.

Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of trans-Chalcone: Modulation of MicroRNAs Linked to Breast Cancer Progression in MCF-7 Cells.

Breast cancer is responsible for 25% of all cancers that affect women. Due to its high heterogeneity pattern in clinical diagnosis and its molecular profile differences, researchers have been seeking new targets and therapies, with more specificity and fewer side effects. Thus, one compound that has garnered our attention is trans-chalcone, which is naturally occurring in various plants and possesses promising biological properties, including antitumor effects. MiRNA is an extensive class of non-coding small, endogenous, and single-stranded RNAs, and it is involved in post-translational gene regulation. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of TChal on miRNAs expression and its relationship with anticancer activity against MCF-7. Initially, the trans-chalcone IC50 value was established by MTT assay for MCF-7and HaCat (non-cancer cell), in which we found out that it was 53.73 and 44.18 μM, respectively. Subsequently, we treated MCF-7 cells with trans-chalcone at its IC50 concentration and performed Mi-seq analysis, which unveiled 23 differentially expressed miRNAs. From this set, we selected five miRNAs (miR-25-5p, miR-27a-3p, miR-891a, miR-449a, and miR-4485) for further validation using qRT-PCR, guided by in silico analysis and their known association with tumorigenesis. In conclusion, our research provides valuable insights into the potential use of TChal to reveal MicroRNAs molecular targets that can be applied in breast cancer therapy.

Impact of REAC Regenerative Endogenous Bioelectrical Cell Reprogramming on MCF7 Breast Cancer Cells.

Human breast adenocarcinoma is a form of cancer which has the tendency to metastasize to other tissues, including bones, lungs, brain, and liver. Several chemotherapeutic drugs are used to treat breast tumors. Their combination is used to simultaneously target different mechanisms involved in cell replication. Radio electric asymmetric conveyer (REAC) technology is an innovative technology, used both in vitro and in vivo, to induce cell reprogramming and counteract senescence processes. Within this context, we treated MCF-7 cells with a regenerative (RGN) REAC treatment for a period ranging between 3 and 7 days. We then analyzed cell viability by trypan blue assays and gene and protein expression by real time-qPCR and confocal microscope, respectively. We also detected the levels of the main proteins involved in tumor progression, DKK1 and SFRP1, by ELISA and cell senescence by β-galactosidase tests. Our results showed the ability of REAC RGN to counteract MCF-7 proliferation, probably inducing autophagy via the upregulation of Beclin-1 and LC3-I, and the modulation of specific tumorigenic biomarkers, such as DKK1 and SPFR1. Our results could suggest the application of the REAC RGN in future in vivo experiments, as an aid for the therapeutic strategies usually applied for breast cancer treatment.

In silico and in vitro studies of novel cyanoacrylamides incorporating pyrazole moiety against breast and prostate carcinomas

We report novel cyanoacrylamide derivatives bearing the pyrazole moiety. The molecular structures of the prepared cyanoacrylamides were confirmed by the different spectral tools such as NMR, IR, and elemental analyses. The anticancer effect of all the newly prepared cyanoacrylamides was studied against four cancer cell lines (HEPG2, MCF7, PACA2, and PC3) as well as the normal cell line (BJ1). The best cytotoxic effect was shown against PC3, where compounds 5f and 5i revealed promising IC50 values (11.7 and 66.8 µM) respectively compared to doxorubicin (43.8 µM). In addition, the effective compounds were screened against a normal BJ1 cell line, which showed promising selectivity against PC3 and moderate selectivity toward MCF7 cells. The molecular docking study showed the affinities of compounds 5c and 5d toward STAT1 protein and compound 5i toward KRAS with promising energy scores. The subsequent molecular experiments were studied on compounds 5b, 5c, 5d, 5f, and 5i. Quantitative Real-time-PCR revealed that the expression of RBL2 and STAT2 genes were down-regulated in 5c and 5d treated MCF7 cells much lower than the other treated MCF7 samples. Also, the expression level of KRAS and SMAD genes was determined, which revealed the significant down-regulation of them in compounds 5f and 5i treated PC3 cells. The percentages of DNA damage were raised significantly in all treated MCF7 and PC3 samples as compared to the negative control, and the highest percentages were for compounds 5c and 5d treated MCF7 cells.Graphical

Metabolomics Insights into the Differential Response of Breast Cancer Cells to the Phenolic Compounds Hydroxytyrosol and Luteolin.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two phenolic compounds found in extra virgin olive oil, hydroxytyrosol (HT) and luteolin (LUT), on the metabolism of breast cancer (BC) cells of different molecular subtypes. An untargeted metabolomics approach was used to characterize the metabolic responses of both triple-negative MDA-MB-231 cells and hormone-responsive MCF-7 cells to treatment with these phenols. Notably, while some effects were common across both cell types, others were dependent on the cell type, highlighting the importance of cellular metabolic phenotype. Common effects included stimulation of mitochondrial metabolism, acetate production, and formate overflow. On the other hand, glucose metabolism and lactate production were differentially modulated. HT and LUT appeared to inhibit glycolysis and promote the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway in MDA-MB-231 cells, while MCF-7 cells exhibited higher glycolytic flux when treated with phenolic compounds. Another significant difference was observed in lipid metabolism. Treated MDA-MB-231 cells displayed increased levels of neutral lipids (likely stored in cytosolic droplets), whereas treatment of MCF-7 cells with HT led to a decrease in triacylglycerols. Additionally, glutathione levels increased in MDA-MB-231 cells treated with HT or LUT, as well as in MCF-7 cells treated with LUT. In contrast, in HT-treated MCF-7 cells, glutathione levels decreased, indicating different modulation of cellular redox status. Overall, this work provides new insights into the metabolic impact of HT and LUT on different BC cell subtypes, paving the way for a better understanding of the nutritional relevance of these phenolic compounds in the context of BC prevention and management.