Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Novel anticancer activity of phloroglucinol against breast cancer stem-like cells

Journal Article · · Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology
;  [1];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [1]
  1. Department of Life Science, Research Institute for Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)
  2. College of Medicine and Applied Radiological Science Research Institute, Jeju National University, Jeju-si 690-756 (Korea, Republic of)
  3. Department of Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701 (Korea, Republic of)

Poor prognosis of breast cancer patients is closely associated with metastasis and relapse. There is substantial evidence supporting that cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) are primarily responsible for relapse in breast cancer after anticancer treatment. However, there is a lack of suitable drugs that target breast cancer stem-like cells (BCSCs). Here, we report that phloroglucinol (PG), a natural phlorotannin component of brown algae, suppresses sphere formation, anchorage-independent colony formation and in vivo tumorigenicity. In line with these observations, treatment with PG also decreased CD44{sup +} cancer cell population as well as expression of CSC regulators such as Sox2, CD44, Oct4, Notch2 and β-catenin. Also, treatment with PG sensitized breast cancer cells to anticancer drugs such as cisplatin, etoposide, and taxol as well as to ionizing radiation. Importantly, PG inhibited KRAS and its downstream PI3K/AKT and RAF-1/ERK signaling pathways that regulate the maintenance of CSCs. Taken together, our findings implicate PG as a good candidate to target BCSCs and to prevent the disease relapse. - Highlights: • Phloroglucinol suppresses in vivo tumor formation. • Phloroglucinol sensitizes breast cancer cells to anticancer agents. • Phloroglucinol inhibits breast cancer stem-like cells. • Phloroglucinol inhibits PI3K/AKT and KRAS/RAF/ERK signaling pathways.

OSTI ID:
22465789
Journal Information:
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Journal Name: Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 286; ISSN TXAPA9; ISSN 0041-008X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

STAT3 as a promising chemoresistance biomarker associated with the CD44+/high/CD24-/low/ALDH+ BCSCs-like subset of the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line
Journal Article · Wed Feb 14 23:00:00 EST 2018 · Experimental Cell Research · OSTI ID:23082460

Repositioning of antibiotic levofloxacin as a mitochondrial biogenesis inhibitor to target breast cancer
Journal Article · Fri Mar 18 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications · OSTI ID:22596302

Curcumin inhibits bladder cancer stem cells by suppressing Sonic Hedgehog pathway
Journal Article · Sat Nov 04 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications · OSTI ID:22719128