Therapeutic Potential of Dichapetalin M in Metastatic and ER-positive Breast Cancer: Evidence from Cell Line Studies

BackgroundDichapetalin M (Dic M), an active compound extracted from medicinal plants in the Dichapetalum genus, has been previously shown to possess anti-proliferative activity against cancer cell lines. However, the specific mechanism through which it exerts its anticancer effects remains unknown. PurposeThis study focused on elucidating the mechanism of action of dichapetalin M to further explore its potential as a therapeutic agent for resistant and metastatic breast cancer. MethodWe confirmed the Estrogen Receptor (ER) as a target of Dic M, using an in vitro approach. Furthermore, we examined both the apoptotic and migrastatic effects of dichapetalin M by assessing its impact on the expression of key apoptosis-related and cancer cell migration genes. Finally, we evaluated the compounds effect on Multi-drug Resistance Gene MDR1 expression, a gene linked to cancer drug resistance. ResultsOur target validation experiments demonstrated that Dic M exhibited considerably higher cytotoxicity in ER-positive breast cell lines compared to ER-negative cell lines. Furthermore, treatment of MCF-7 cells (which are ER-positive) with Dic M led to a dose-dependent increase in the expression of AREG (amphiregulin), a downstream effector of the Estrogen Receptor. Additionally, Dic M inhibited actin polymerization and significantly downregulated genes involved in the turnover of actin monomers. Scratch-wound assay results further demonstrate that Dic M reduces the rate of cell migration, although its impact on EMT-related gene expression was only observed at high doses. Additionally, Dic M treatment in MCF-7 cells resulted in a significant decrease in the expression of pro-apoptotic genes and MDR1 expression. ConclusionsThese findings indicate that Dic M likely interacts with the Estrogen Receptor and employs the apoptotic pathway to exert its cytotoxic and anti-proliferative effects. Dic M exhibits promising potential, such as anti-migrastatic properties and downregulation of a key breast cancer resistance gene, warranting further investigation.