Antrodia salmonea suppresses invasion and metastasis in triple-negative breast cancer cells by reversing EMT through the NF-κB and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

• Published in: Food and chemical toxicology 2019-02, Vol.124, p.219-230
• Main Authors: Hseu, You-Cheng, Lin, Yi-Chun, Rajendran, Peramaiyan, Thigarajan, Varadharajan, Mathew, Dony Chacko, Lin, Kai-Yuan, Way, Tzong-Der, Liao, Jiunn-Wang, Yang, Hsin-Ling
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antrodia salmonea; EMT; Metastasis; Triple-negative breast cancer; Wnt/β-catenin
• ISSN: 0278-6915; 1873-6351
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2018.12.009

Antrodia salonea (AS), a fungus that is indigenous to Taiwan has been well known for its anti-cancer properties. We investigated the anti-metastatic and anti-epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) properties of AS in TNBC cells. To determine their EMT and metastasis levels, in vitro wound healing, wound invasion, Western blotting, RT-PCR, luciferase activity and immunofluorescence assays were performed, while the in vivo anti-metastatic efficacy of AS was evaluated in BALB/c-nu mice through bioluminescence imaging, HE staining, and immunohistochemical staining. MDA-MB-231 cells, when treated with AS concentrations (25–100 μg/mL) resulted in significant reduction of invasion and migration as well as the downregulation of VEGF, uPAR, uPA and MMP-9 (inhibition of PI3K/AKT/NFκB pathways). AS treatment prevented morphological changes and reversed EMT through the upregulation of E-cadherin and the downregulation of N-cadherin, Slug, Twist, and Vimentin. Inhibition of Smad3 signaling pathway, downregulation of β-catenin pathway and upregulation of GSK3β expression were also observed while, suppression of metastasis and EMT in TGF-β1-stimulated non-tumorigenic MCF-10A cells was observed when treated with AS. Histological analysis confirmed that AS reduced tumor metastasis and upregulated E-cadherin expression in biopsied lung tissues. Our results indicated that AS exhibits anti-EMT and anti-metastatic activity, that could contribute to develop anticancer drugs against TNBC. [Display omitted] •Antrodia salmonea (AS) markedly inhibited migration and invasion in TNBC cells.•Reversion of EMT via up-regulation of E-cadherin and down-regulation of N-cadherin with AS treatment.•Inhibition of metastasis and EMT in TGF-β1-stimulated non-tumorigenic MCF-10A cells by AS.•AS significantly suppressed breast cancer metastasis to the lungs in living mice.