Spectral overlap-free quantum dot-based determination of benzo[a]pyrene-induced cancer stem cells by concurrent monitoring of CD44, CD24 and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1

Breast cancer stem cells (CSCs) are highly tumorigenic and possess the capacity to self-renew. Recent studies indicated that pluripotent geneNANOGinvolves in regulating self-renewal of breast CSCs, and expression of NANOG is correlated with aggressiveness of poorly differentiated breast cancer. We initially confirmed that breast cancer MCF-7 cells expressed NANOG, and overexpression of NANOG enhanced the tumorigenicity of MCF-7 cells and promoted the self-renewal expansion of CD24−/lowCD44+CSC subpopulation. In contrast, knockdown of NANOG significantly affected the growth of breast CSCs. Utilizing flow cytometry, we identified five cyclohexylmethyl flavonoids that can inhibit propagation of NANOG-positive cells in both breast cancer MCF-7 and MDA-MB231 cells. Among these flavonoids, ugonins J and K were found to be able to induce apoptosis in non-CSC populations and to reduce self-renewal growth of CD24−/lowCD44+CSC population. Treatment with ugonin J significantly reduced the tumorigenicity of MCF-7 cells and efficiently suppressed formation of mammospheres. This suppression was possibly due to p53 activation and NANOG reduction as either addition of p53 inhibitor or overexpression of NANOG can counteract the suppressive effect of ugonin J. We therefore conclude that cyclohexylmethyl flavonoids can possibly be utilized to suppress the propagation of breast CSCs via reduction of NANOG.

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Monobenzyltin Complex C1 Induces Apoptosis in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells through the Intrinsic Signaling Pathway and through the Targeting of MCF-7-Derived Breast Cancer Stem Cells via the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0160836 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. e0160836 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Somayeh Fani ◽

Firouzeh Dehghan ◽

Hamed Karimian ◽

Kong Mun Lo ◽

Siyamak Ebrahimi Nigjeh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Stem Cells ◽

Cancer Stem Cells ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Signaling Pathway ◽

Breast Cancer Cells ◽

Breast Cancer Stem Cells ◽

Mcf 7

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Curcumin and Glu-GNPs Induce Radiosensitivity against Breast Cancer Stem-Like Cells

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2020/3189217 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Ke Yang ◽

Zhiwei Liao ◽

Yujian Wu ◽

Mengjie Li ◽

Tingting Guo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Stem Cells ◽

Cancer Stem Cells ◽

High Efficiency ◽

Tumor Hypoxia ◽

Breast Cancer Stem Cells ◽

Breast Cancer Patients ◽

Breast Cancer Radiotherapy ◽

Radiotherapy Resistance ◽

Mcf 7

Breast cancer stem cells are an important cause of radiotherapy resistance in the clinical treatment of breast cancer patients. How to target breast cancer stem cells is the key to improving the efficacy of breast cancer radiotherapy. We proposed for the first time that curcumin combined with glucose nanogold particles (Glu-GNPs) targeted breast cancer stem cells to reduce radiotherapy resistance, which can significantly enhance the apoptosis level of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer stem-like cells (BCSCs) after radiotherapy and antiproliferation and colony-forming. Under simulated hypoxic conditions, curcumin combined with Glu-GNPs can significantly improve the ROS level of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 mammospheres; reduce the expression of HIF-1α and HSP90, thereby inhibiting the tumor cells’ own stress ability; promote the apoptosis of tumor stem cells; and enhance the sensitivity of radiotherapy. The current results indicate that the combination of curcumin and Glu-GNPs has great potential to relieve tumor hypoxia and increase radiosensitivity on BCSCs, providing scientific research data for developing a novel radiosensitizer with high efficiency and low toxicity.

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