Shikonin as an inhibitor of the LPS-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in human breast cancer cells.

Abstract	Shikonin (SK), a natural naphthoquinone isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb, has been known to suppress the proliferation of several cancer cells. However, its role in the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) has yet to be demonstrated. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of SK on EMT. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced EMT-like phenotypic changes, enhancing cell migration and invasion. SK markedly reduced the expression of the LPS-induced EMT markers, including N-cadherin in MDA-MB‑231 cells, and increased the expression of E-cadherin in MCF-7 cells. SK also inhibited cell migration and invasion in vitro. The effects of SK on the LPS-induced EMT were mediated by the inactivation of the NF-κB-Snail signaling pathway. The results provided new evidence that SK suppresses breast cancer cell invasion and migration by inhibiting the EMT. Therefore, SK is a potentially effective anticancer agent for breast tumors, by inhibiting metastasis.
Authors	Darong Hong, Soon Young Jang, Eun Hyang Jang, Bom Jung, In-Hye Cho, Min-Ju Park, Seo Young Jeong, Jong-Ho Kim
Journal	International journal of molecular medicine (Int J Mol Med) Vol. 36 Issue 6 Pg. 1601-6 (Dec 2015) ISSN: 1791-244X [Electronic] Greece
PMID	26498588 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
Chemical References	Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal Cadherins Drugs, Chinese Herbal Lipopolysaccharides Naphthoquinones Snail Family Transcription Factors Transcription Factor RelA Transcription Factors shikonin
Topics	Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal (pharmacology) Blotting, Western Breast Neoplasms (metabolism, pathology) Cadherins (metabolism) Cell Line, Tumor Cell Movement (drug effects) Cell Proliferation (drug effects) Cell Survival (drug effects) Dose-Response Relationship, Drug Drugs, Chinese Herbal (pharmacology) Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (drug effects) Female Humans Lipopolysaccharides (pharmacology) MCF-7 Cells Microscopy, Fluorescence Naphthoquinones (pharmacology) Snail Family Transcription Factors Transcription Factor RelA (metabolism) Transcription Factors (metabolism)

Join CureHunter, for free Research Interface BASIC access!

Take advantage of free CureHunter research engine access to explore the best drug and treatment options for any disease. Find out why thousands of doctors, pharma researchers and patient activists around the world use CureHunter every day.

Realize the full power of the drug-disease research graph!