ECSCR functions as a potential tumor suppressor in breast cancer cells

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy among women worldwide. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a particularly aggressive subtype, is unresponsive to endocrine and targeted therapies. It is characterized by high rates of invasion and recurrence, a poor prognosis, and limited treatment options. Resveratrol, a natural polyphenolic compound, possesses well-documented anticancer properties. Given the differential sensitivity of the MDA-MB-231 (TNBC) and MCF-7 (luminal) cell lines to resveratrol, we treated these cells with resveratrol and performed RNA sequencing followed by RT-qPCR validation. Our analysis revealed significantly elevated expression of ECSCR (Endothelial Cell Surface Expressed Chemotaxis and Apoptosis Regulator) in resveratrol-treated MDA-MB-231 cells compared to controls, whereas no significant change was observed in MCF-7 cells. Although the role of ECSCR in breast cancer remains poorly characterized, we investigated its functional significance by establishing lentiviral-mediated ECSCR overexpression in breast cancer cells. In vitro, ECSCR overexpression suppressed cellular proliferation and migration while promoting apoptosis. Consistently, in vivo experiments demonstrated a reduced tumorigenic capacity of ECSCR-overexpressing cells. Collectively, our findings indicate that ECSCR exerts tumor-suppressive effects by inhibiting proliferation and migration, inducing apoptosis, and suppressing tumorigenesis. Notably, the growth-inhibitory effects of resveratrol on TNBC may be mediated through the upregulation of ECSCR. These results identify ECSCR as a promising therapeutic target for breast cancer intervention strategies.