Effects of Garlic on Breast Tumor Cells with a Triple Negative Phenotype: Peculiar Subtype-Dependent Down-Modulation...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology
• Natural Products Chemistry

Background:

• Breast cancer exhibits significant heterogeneity, particularly triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), complicating treatment outcomes.
• Natural agents, like garlic (Allium sativum), are increasingly explored for their potential to complement conventional cancer therapies.
• Garlic demonstrates anti-proliferative and anti-metastatic properties against various cancer cells.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the anti-tumoral activity of a garlic extract specifically in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines.
• To explore how tumor heterogeneity influences the efficacy of garlic extract in TNBC.
• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying garlic's effects on TNBC.

Main Methods:

• Utilized established triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines derived from patient-derived xenografts (PDXs).
• Evaluated the effects of garlic extract on cell morphology, cell cycle progression, and invasive potential.
• Assessed the modulation of Akt signaling pathways in response to garlic treatment.

Main Results:

• Garlic extract exhibited subtype-dependent effects on TNBC cell morphology, cell cycle, and invasiveness.
• Observed a significant down-modulation of Akt signaling, a key regulator in tumor progression.
• Demonstrated that the anti-tumoral effects of garlic are not uniform across all TNBC subtypes.

Conclusions:

• Garlic extract possesses anti-tumoral activity against triple-negative breast cancer, but its efficacy is influenced by tumor heterogeneity.
• The observed effects are partly mediated through the modulation of the Akt signaling pathway.
• Personalized therapeutic strategies incorporating garlic require a deeper understanding of its specific mechanisms in distinct TNBC subtypes.