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Huaier aqueous extract inhibits stem-like characteristics of MCF7 breast cancer cells via inactivation of hedgehog pathway

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Tumor Biology

Abstract

The theory of targeting cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) provides novel strategy for cancer treatment. In the present study, we examined the inhibitory effect of Huaier aqueous extract on eradicating breast cancer stem cells and explored the underlying mechanisms. Our data demonstrated that various concentrations of Huaier extract significantly decreased the viabilities, numbers, and sizes of mammospheres. After incubation with Huaier extract for 24 h, the clonogenicity of MCF7 cell line was obviously impaired, along with less holoclones. In addition, Huaier extract reduced the number of cells expressing CD44+/CD24− and decreased the level of stem cell markers (OCT-4, NESTIN, and NANOG). The hedgehog (Hh), notch, and Wnt/β-catenin pathways were essential stem cell signaling pathways involved in regulating CSC renewal and maintenance. We reported that the inhibitory effect of Huaier extract was partly depended on the inactivation of Hh pathway. These findings provided experimental evidence that Huaier extract was a promising therapeutic drug for eliminating the breast cancer stem cells.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81072150; No. 81172529; No. 81272903) and Shandong Science and Technology Development Plan (No. 2012GZC22115; No. 2013GRC31801) to Q.Y. and Shandong Province Scientific Technology Development Program of Traditional Chinese Medicine (No. 2013-160) to Y. Z. We thank Shi Yan and Cunzhong Yuan for technical supports with experiments. We also thank Weiting Gu and Min Gao for critical discussing and Shangge Lv for substantial helps.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Wenhua Xi Road No. 107, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaolong Wang, Ning Zhang, Qiang Huo, Mingjuan Sun, Lun Dong & Qifeng Yang

  2. Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Wenhua Xi Road No. 107, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People’s Republic of China

    Yan Zhang

  3. Key Laboratory of Experimental Teratology, Ministry of Education and Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Shandong University School of Medicine, Wenhua Xi Road No. 44, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People’s Republic of China

    Guangwei Xu & Qifeng Yang

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  1. Xiaolong Wang
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Correspondence to Qifeng Yang.

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Wang, X., Zhang, N., Huo, Q. et al. Huaier aqueous extract inhibits stem-like characteristics of MCF7 breast cancer cells via inactivation of hedgehog pathway. Tumor Biol. 35, 10805–10813 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-014-2390-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-014-2390-2

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