2. Academic Validation
  3. Betavulgarin Isolated from Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris) Suppresses Breast Cancer Stem Cells through Stat3 Signaling

Betavulgarin Isolated from Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris) Suppresses Breast Cancer Stem Cells through Stat3 Signaling

  • Molecules. 2020 Jun 30;25(13):2999. doi: 10.3390/molecules25132999.
Ren Liu 1,  Hack Sun Choi 2,  Xing Zhen 1,  Su-Lim Kim 1,  Ji-Hyang Kim 1,  Yu-Chan Ko 1,  Bong-Sik Yun 3,  Dong-Sun Lee 1 2 3 4 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Advanced Convergence Technology and Science, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Korea.
  • 2 Subtropical/Tropical Organism Gene Bank, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Korea.
  • 3 Division of Biotechnology, College of Environmental and Bioresource Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, Gobong-ro 79, Iksan 54596, Korea.
  • 4 Practical Translational Research Center, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Korea.
  • 5 Faculty of Biotechnology, College of Applied Life Sciences, Jeju National University, SARI, Jeju 63243, Korea.
PMID: 32630026 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25132999
Abstract

Breast Cancer is a major health problem that affects lives worldwide. Breast Cancer Stem Cells (BCSCs) are small subpopulations of cells with capacities for drug resistance, self-renewal, recurrence, metastasis, and differentiation. Herein, powder extracts of beetroot were subjected to silica gel, gel filtration, thin layer chromatography (TLC), and preparatory high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) for isolation of one compound, based on activity-guided purification using tumorsphere formation assays. The purified compound was identified as betavulgarin, using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry. Betavulgarin suppressed the proliferation, migration, colony formation, and mammosphere formation of breast Cancer cells and reduced the size of the CD44+/CD24- subpopulation and the expression of the self-renewal-related genes, c-Myc, Nanog, and Oct4. This compound decreased the total level and phosphorylated nuclear level of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and reduced the mRNA and protein levels of sex determining region Y (SRY)-box 2 (SOX2), in mammospheres. These data suggest that betavulgarin inhibit the STAT3/Sox2 signaling pathway and induces BCSC death, indicating betavulgarin might be an Anticancer agent against breast Cancer cells and BCSCs.

Keywords

SOX2; Stat3; betavulgarin; breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs); mammospheres.

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