Taraxasterol from edible plants inhibits breast cancer progression by targeting the miRNA-140-5p/OGT axis: Implications for functional food-based therapies

Abstract

The second most frequent cause of tumor-related mortality in women is malignant breast cancer (BC). The exploration of new therapeutic agents and related mechanisms is crucial for BC research. Numerous investigations have demonstrated that taraxasterol (TAX) has antitumor effects, but the role of TAX in BC and the corresponding mechanisms are unknown. In this investigation, after treating BC cells with TAX, the proportion of apoptosis was measured using flow cytometry, the Transwell® was used to measure cell invasion, and the wound-healing assay was used to measure cell migration. It was discovered that TAX promoted the apoptosis of BC cells and inhibited BC cell migration and invasion. In addition, according to the results of in vivo tests, tumor growth was suppressed by TAX. Mechanistically, O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) expression was indirectly reduced by TAX through the up-regulation of miRNA-140-5p expression. According to this theory, TAX blocks the growth and migration of BC by controlling the miRNA-140-5p/OGT axis.