title: Growth suppression of HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells by berberine via modulation of the HER2/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
abstract: Berberine (BBR) is a natural alkaloid with significant antitumor activities against many types of cancer cells. This study investigated the molecular mechanisms by which BBR suppresses the growth of HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells. The results show that BBR induces G1-phase cell cycle arrest by interfering with the expression of cyclins D1 and E and that it induces cellular apoptosis through the induction of a mitochondria/caspase pathway. The data also indicate that BBR inhibits cellular growth and promotes apoptosis by down-regulating the HER2/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Furthermore, it is also shown that a combination of taxol and BBR significantly slows the growth rate of HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells. In conclusion, this study suggests that BBR could be a useful adjuvant therapeutic agent in the treatment of HER2-overexpressing breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Han-Peng
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Tzu-Chao
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Ming-Han
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Shih-Chung
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Tzong-Der
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Way
authors.forename: Po-Yuan
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shan-Shue
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yung-Hsien
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Ming-Ching
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Jah-Yao
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D001599:Berberine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001599:Berberine; D006133:Growth Substances; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human