Open Access

Icaritin enhances the efficacy of cetuximab against triple‑negative breast cancer cells

  • Authors:
    • Li Yin
    • Xiao‑Wei Qi
    • Xun‑Zhou Liu
    • Ze‑Yu Yang
    • Rui‑Li Cai
    • Hong‑Juan Cui
    • Li Chen
    • Shi‑Cang Yu
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: March 31, 2020     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2020.11496
  • Pages: 3950-3958
  • Copyright: © Yin et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Triple‑negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a greater risk of recurrence and metastasis along with a worse prognosis compared with other subtypes of breast cancer. Studies have revealed that mitogenic estrogen signaling is involved in the malignant proliferation of TNBC cells through a novel variant of the estrogen receptor, estrogen receptor α‑36 (ER‑α36). The results of the present study demonstrated that knockdown of ER‑α36 expression in TNBC cells using short hairpin RNA inhibited rapid estrogen signaling bypass activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Moreover, the ER‑α36 modulator icaritin inhibited the proliferation of TNBC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Here, it was revealed that the combination of icaritin and cetuximab, a therapeutic epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) neutralizing antibody, induced apoptosis and inhibited cell proliferation synergistically in TNBC cells. The results of the present study improved the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of TNBC progression and supported the therapeutic potential of combined treatment targeting the ER‑α36 and EGFR.
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June-2020
Volume 19 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1792-1074
Online ISSN:1792-1082

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Spandidos Publications style
Yin L, Qi XW, Liu XZ, Yang ZY, Cai RL, Cui HJ, Chen L and Yu SC: Icaritin enhances the efficacy of cetuximab against triple‑negative breast cancer cells. Oncol Lett 19: 3950-3958, 2020
APA
Yin, L., Qi, X., Liu, X., Yang, Z., Cai, R., Cui, H. ... Yu, S. (2020). Icaritin enhances the efficacy of cetuximab against triple‑negative breast cancer cells. Oncology Letters, 19, 3950-3958. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2020.11496
MLA
Yin, L., Qi, X., Liu, X., Yang, Z., Cai, R., Cui, H., Chen, L., Yu, S."Icaritin enhances the efficacy of cetuximab against triple‑negative breast cancer cells". Oncology Letters 19.6 (2020): 3950-3958.
Chicago
Yin, L., Qi, X., Liu, X., Yang, Z., Cai, R., Cui, H., Chen, L., Yu, S."Icaritin enhances the efficacy of cetuximab against triple‑negative breast cancer cells". Oncology Letters 19, no. 6 (2020): 3950-3958. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2020.11496