Growth Inhibitory Mechanisms of Viola Yedoensis in a Model for Triple Negative Breast Cancer Inhibitory efficacy of Viola Yedoensis in TNBC
Abstract
Background: The triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype lacks the expressions of hormone and growth factor receptors. Therapeutic options for TNBC include conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy and pathway selective targeted therapy. These options are associated with therapy resistance and emergence cancer stem cells leading to metastatic disease progression. Non-toxic nutritional herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) may represent testable therapeutic alternatives. The aim of this study is to examine the growth inhibitory efficacy of the nutritional herb Viola yedoensis (VY) and identify its mechanism of action in the MDA-MB-231 model TNBC.
Methods: Effects of VY on cell proliferation, retinoblastoma (RB) signaling, and apoptosis were determined to examine anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic efficacy.
Results: Treatment with VY resulted in S phase arrest and inhibition of the RB signaling pathway by reduction of cyclin E, CDK2, pRB and E2F1 expression. Induction of apoptosis increased the sub G0/G1 phase apoptotic population and increased pro-apoptotic caspase 3/7 activity. VY-induced increase in caspase 3/7 activity was inhibited by a pan-caspase inhibitor.
Conclusion: These data identify growth inhibitory mechanism of VY, and thereby, provide a validated experimental approach to identify nutritional herbs as potential therapeutic alternatives for breast cancer.
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