title: β-elemene decreases cell invasion by upregulating E-cadherin expression in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.
abstract: Inactivation of E-cadherin results in cell migration and invasion, hence leading to cancer aggressiveness and metastasis. Downregulation of E-cadherin is closely correlated with a poor prognosis in invasive breast cancer. Thus, re-introducing E-cadherin is a novel strategy for cancer therapy. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of the traditional Chinese medicine, β-elemene (ELE), on E-cadherin expression, cell migration and invasion in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7. MCF-7 cells were treated with 50 and 100 µg/ml ELE. E-cadherin mRNA was analyzed by reverse transcription‑polymerase chain reaction. E-cadherin protein levels were determined by immunofluorescence and western blot assays. Cell motility was measured by a Transwell assay. ELE increased both the protein and mRNA levels of E-cadherin, accompanied by decreased cell migration and invasion. Further analysis demonstrated that ELE upregulated estrogen receptor‑α (ERα) and metastasis-associated protein 3 (MTA3), and decreased the nuclear transcription factor Snail. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that ELE decreases cell migration and invasion by upregulating E-cadherin expression via controlling the ERα/MTA3/Snail signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116023, PR China.
authors.forename: Xian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yinghua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; C506487:ESR1 protein, human; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; C486657:MTA3 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; C445979:beta-elemene