The Natural Alkaloid Piperlongumine Inhibits Metastatic Activity and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition of Triple-Negative Mammary Carcinoma Cells

Nutr Cancer. 2021;73(11-12):2397-2410. doi: 10.1080/01635581.2020.1825755. Epub 2020 Oct 5.

Abstract

In this study, we determined the effect of low dose piperlongumine on the motility/invasive capacity and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells and the metastasis of 4T1 mouse mammary carcinoma cells. MTT assays measured the effect of piperlongumine on TNBC cell growth. Motility/invasiveness were determined by gap closure/transwell assays. Western blotting assessed ZEB1, Slug, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 9 expression. Interleukin (IL) 6 was detected by ELISA. MMP2, E-cadherin, and miR-200c expression was determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured by flow cytometry. The orthotopic 4T1 mouse model of breast cancer was used to examine metastasis. Piperlongumine-treated MDA-MB-231 cells showed reduced motility/invasiveness, decreased MMP2 and MMP9 expression, increased miR-200c expression, reduced IL-6 synthesis, decreased expression of ZEB1 and Slug, increased E-cadherin expression, and epithelial-like morphology. Piperlongumine also inhibited transforming growth factor β-induced ZEB1 and Slug expression. ROS accumulated in piperlongumine-treated cells, while changes in metastasis-associated gene expression were ablated by exogenous glutathione. Metastasis of 4T1 cells to the lungs of BALB/c mice was dramatically reduced in piperlongumine-treated animals. These findings reveal a previously unknown capacity of low dose piperlongumine to interfere with TNBC metastasis via an oxidative stress-dependent mechanism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkaloids* / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Carcinoma*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement
  • Dioxolanes
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms* / metabolism

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Dioxolanes
  • piperlonguminine