title: The palladacycle, AJ-5, exhibits anti-tumour and anti-cancer stem cell activity in breast cancer cells.
abstract: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy amongst women worldwide but despite enormous efforts to address this problem, there is still limited success with most of the current therapeutic strategies. The current study describes the anti-cancer activity of a binuclear palladacycle complex (AJ-5) in oestrogen receptor positive (MCF7) and oestrogen receptor negative (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cells as well as human breast cancer stem cells. AJ-5 is shown to induce DNA double strand breaks leading to intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis and autophagy cell death pathways which are mediated by the p38 MAP kinase. This study provides evidence that AJ-5 is potentially an effective compound in the treatment of breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925 Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Saeb
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aliwaini
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925 Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Jade
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peres
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925 Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Wendy L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Kröger
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
authors.forename: Angelique
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blanckenberg
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Biotechnology Research Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de la Mare
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Biotechnology Research Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.
authors.forename: Adrienne L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Edkins
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
authors.forename: Selwyn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mapolie
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925 Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: sharon.prince@uct.ac.za.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prince
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014162:Transfection; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C534987:biphosphinic palladacycle complex; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
keywords: Apoptosis; Autophagy; Breast cancer; Cancer stem cells; Palladacycles; p38 MAPK