Effect of gaillardin on the metastatic capacity of breast cancer cells and its underlying mechanism

The metastasis process plays an important role in the outcome of all cancers, including breast cancer, a leading cause of cancer mortality in women. This study assessed the effects of gaillardin on the metastatic activity of two different breast cancer cell lines. The MTT assay was used to obtain the IC 50 concentrations. Migration or metastatic capability of MCF7 and MDA-MB231 cell lines was assayed using the wound scratch assay. The real-time PCR was utilized to quantify the gene expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers CDH1, CDH2, VIM, and FN1, along with angiogenesis-related markers VEGFA and THBS1. Western blotting was conducted to estimate the protein expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, vimentin, fibronectin 1, VEGFA, and thrombospondin 1. Treatment of the MCF7 cell line with different concentrations of gaillardin revealed no significant effect on the metastatic capacity of these cancer cells compared with the controls. However, the migratory activity and aggressiveness of MDA-MB231 cells were significantly hindered compared to the control cells. The results of gene expression data revealed the upregulating effect of gaillardin on the expression of CDH1 and THBS1 genes. Conversely, this phytochemical significantly downregulated CDH2, VIM, FN1, and VEGFA transcripts. Western blotting results showed a similar effect of gaillardin on the expression levels of the above-mentioned markers. The present data highlight the anti-metastatic activity of gaillardin in breast cancer in a receptor-independent manner. These results also indicate gaillardin as a potential anti-metastatic natural compound against triple-negative breast cancer cells, via two mechanisms that act by suppressing EMT and angiogenesis. • Gaillardin inhibits the metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. • Gaillardin revealed no effect on the metastasis of receptor-positive breast cancer cells. • Gaillardin inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition to hamper metastasis in TNBC. • Gaillardin targets angiogenesis to inhibit metastasis in TNBC. • Gaillardin is a potential anti-metastatic and anti-angiogenic drug candidate for TNBC.