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Artesunate induces G2/M cell cycle arrest through autophagy induction in breast cancer cells

Kai Chen1, Liu-Mei Shou, Fang Lin

  • 1aDepartment of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University bDepartment of Pharmacology and Laboratory of Aging and Nervous Diseases, Soochow University School of Pharmaceutical Science cJiangsu Institute of Clinical Immunology, Suzhou, China.

Anti-Cancer Drugs
|February 13, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Artesunate (ART) inhibits breast cancer cell growth by inducing autophagy, a type of cell death. ART also enhances chemotherapy effectiveness, suggesting its potential as a novel breast cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Breast cancer remains a significant global health challenge.
  • Novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed to improve treatment outcomes.
  • Artesunate (ART), an antimalarial drug, shows potential anticancer properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mechanism of action of artesunate (ART) in breast cancer cells.
  • To determine the role of autophagy in ART-induced anticancer effects.
  • To evaluate ART's potential to sensitize breast cancer cells to chemotherapy.

Main Methods:

  • Cell viability assays were performed on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines.
  • Cell cycle analysis and Western blotting were used to assess cell cycle arrest and protein expression (p21, Beclin1, LC3).
  • Autophagy was modulated using 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and Beclin1 knockdown.
  • Synergistic effects of ART and epirubicin were evaluated.

Main Results:

  • Artesunate inhibited breast cancer cell proliferation and induced G2/M cell cycle arrest.
  • ART upregulated p21 expression and induced autophagy, evidenced by increased Beclin1 and LC3-II formation.
  • Inhibition of autophagy (using 3-MA or Beclin1 knockdown) reversed ART-induced effects.
  • ART sensitized breast cancer cells to epirubicin chemotherapy via an autophagy-dependent pathway.

Conclusions:

  • Artesunate exerts anticancer effects in breast cancer cells by inducing autophagy and cell cycle arrest.
  • Autophagy plays a crucial role in mediating the anti-breast cancer activity of ART.
  • ART enhances the efficacy of epirubicin chemotherapy, highlighting its potential as a novel therapeutic agent for breast cancer treatment.

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