Curcumol Inhibits the Invasion and Migration of Breast Cancer via miR-206/NCL/ERα36

Breast cancer (BC) is a highly heterogeneous and aggressive disease with high mortality. Curcumol, a major bioactive component from Curcumae kwangsiensis, has shown antitumor activity by targeting nucleolin (NCL) and its interaction with ERα36. NCL is an RNA-binding protein that interacts with miR-206, a tumor-suppressive miRNA that inhibits EMT and invasion by regulating target gene expression. However, whether curcumol's effect on BC invasion and migration, as well as the NCL/ERα36 interaction, is regulated by miR-206 remains unclear. Cell migration and invasion were assessed using wound healing and transwell assays. Dual-luciferase reporter and RIP assays were performed to confirm NCL as a direct target of miR-206. Western blotting and qRT-PCR were used to evaluate protein and miRNA expression. Animal experiments were conducted to explore the inhibitory effect of curcumol on invasion and migration in vivo. Curcumol significantly inhibited the invasion and migration of breast cancer cells, while potentiating the inhibitory effects of NCL knockdown on these processes. NCL was identified as a downstream target of miR-206, and curcumol inhibits the invasion and migration of breast cancer cells via downregulating NCL expression and is associated with increased miR-206 levels. Moreover, curcumol inhibits the invasion and migration of breast cancer cells by downregulating the NCL/ERα36 interaction. The anti-breast cancer effect of curcumol is related to its regulation of the expression of miR-206 and NCL and inhibits the invasion and migration of breast cancer via the miR-206/NCL/ERα36 axis.