Lycorine inhibits breast cancer growth and metastasis via inducing apoptosis and blocking Src/FAK-involved pathway.

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer type worldwide among women and more than 90% of patients die from tumor metastasis. Lycorine, a natural alkaloid, has been widely reported possessing potential efficacy against cancer proliferation and metastasis. In our study, the anti-tumor potency on breast cancer was evaluated in vitro and in vivo for the first time. Our results indicated that lycorine inhibited breast cancer cells growth, migration and invasion as well as induced their apoptosis. In in vivo study, lycorine not only suppressed breast tumor growth in xenograft models and inhibited breast tumor metastasis in MDA-MB-231 tail vein model. More importantly, we found lycorine had less toxicity than first-line chemotherapy drug paclitaxel at the same effective dose in vivo. Furthermore, on mechanism, lycorine inhibited tumor cell migration and invasion via blocking the Src/FAK (focal adhesion kinase)-involved pathway. In conclusion, our study implied lycorine was a potential candidate for the treatment of breast cancer by inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis.

• Authors: Xuexiang Ying, Anling Huang, Yajing Xing, Liping Lan, Zhengfang Yi, Pingqing He
• Journal: Science China. Life sciences (Sci China Life Sci) Vol. 60 Issue 4 Pg. 417-428 (Apr 2017) ISSN: 1869-1889 [Electronic] China
• PMID: 28251459 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids
• Phenanthridines
• Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
• src-Family Kinases
• lycorine

Topics

• Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids (pharmacology)
• Animals
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Breast Neoplasms (enzymology, pathology)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Female
• Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases (antagonists & inhibitors)
• Humans
• Mice
• Neoplasm Invasiveness
• Neoplasm Metastasis (prevention & control)
• Phenanthridines (pharmacology)
• Signal Transduction (drug effects)
• Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
• src-Family Kinases (antagonists & inhibitors)