β-Elemene Suppresses Proliferation, Migration, and Stemness in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer by Inhibiting SIX-1

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology
• Natural Products Chemistry

Background:

• Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive cancer subtype with limited therapeutic options.
• SIX-1 is significantly upregulated in TNBC tissues and cell lines, indicating its potential role in TNBC progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the therapeutic potential of β-Elemene, a sesquiterpene from traditional Chinese medicine, against TNBC.
• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying β-Elemene's anti-cancer effects in TNBC.

Main Methods:

• In vitro assays were used to assess the effects of β-Elemene on TNBC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and stemness.
• Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR were employed to analyze the expression of key proteins and genes involved in EMT and cancer stemness.
• The study investigated the modulation of the SIX-1/β-Catenin/ID2 signaling pathway by β-Elemene.

Main Results:

• β-Elemene significantly inhibited TNBC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in a dose- and time-dependent manner.
• β-Elemene reversed epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by altering the expression of relevant markers (N-cadherin, Snail, TGF-β1, E-cadherin).
• The compound reduced cancer stemness properties, including spheroid formation and expression of OCT4 and SOX2, by suppressing the SIX-1/β-Catenin/ID2 pathway.

Conclusions:

• β-Elemene demonstrates significant anti-cancer activity against TNBC in vitro.
• The therapeutic effects of β-Elemene are mediated through the modulation of the SIX-1/β-Catenin/ID2 signaling axis.
• β-Elemene holds promise as a potential therapeutic candidate for TNBC, warranting further investigation.