(–)-Xanthatin as a Killer of Human Breast Cancer MCF-7 Mammosphere Cells: A Comparative Study with Salinomycin

• Published in: Current issues in molecular biology Vol. 44; no. 9; pp. 3849 - 3858
• Main Authors: Takeda, Shuso, Hirao-Suzuki, Masayo, Shindo, Mitsuru, Aramaki, Hironori
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI 25-08-2022; MDPI AG
• Subjects: (–)-xanthatin; cancer stem cells; Communication; GADD45G; mammospheres; MCF-7 cells
• ISSN: 1467-3045; 1467-3037; 1467-3045
• DOI: 10.3390/cimb44090264

Experimental evidence accumulated by our research group and others strongly suggests that (–)-xanthatin, a xanthanolide sesquiterpene lactone, exhibits anti-proliferative effects on human breast cancer cells (in vitro) as well as anti-tumor effects in experimental animals (in vivo). In cancer biology, it is now critically important for anti-cancer agents to selectively target cancer stem cells (CSCs) in order to overcome cancer therapeutic resistance and recurrence. However, it has not yet been established whether (–)-xanthatin abrogates the formation of breast CSCs. In the present study, we utilized chemically synthesized pure (–)-xanthatin and a culture system to obtain mammospheres from human breast cancer MCF-7 cells, which are a CSC-enriched population. We herein demonstrated for the first time that (–)-xanthatin exhibited the ability to kill mammospheres, similar to salinomycin, an established selective killer of CSCs. A possible anti-proliferative mechanism toward mammospheres by (–)-xanthatin is discussed.