title: Cepharanthine Induces Autophagy, Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest in Breast Cancer Cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cepharanthine (CEP) is a biscoclaurine alkaloid extracted from Stephania cepharantha and has been shown to have an anti-tumour effect on different types of cancers. However, the anti-cancer effect of CEP on human breast cancer cells is still unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used MTT, clone formation, in vitro scratch, invasion and migration assays to confirm the inhibitory role of CEP on the proliferation of breast cancer cells. Flow cytometry, plasmid construction and western blot analysis were used to study the detailed mechanisms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our study showed that CEP could inhibit cell proliferation by inducing autophagy, apoptosis, and G0/G1 cell cycle arrest of breast cancer cells. Furthermore, we found that CEP induced autophagy and apoptosis by inhibiting the AKT/mTOR signalling pathway.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that CEP could inhibit growth and motility of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell. Our study revealed an anti-tumour effect of CEP on breast cancer cells and suggests that CEP could be a potential new clinical therapy for breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Sumei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Wenwen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.|Pathology Tissue Bank, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Qifeng
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects*; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D052117:Benzodioxoles
chemical_list: D044182:Benzylisoquinolines; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; C006947:cepharanthine; D052117:Benzodioxoles; C546842:MTOR protein, human
keywords: Apoptosis; Autophagy; Breast cancer cells; Cell cycle arrest; Cepharanthine