Quercetin Inhibits Breast Cancer Stem Cells via Downregulation of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1A1 (ALDH1A1), Chemokine Receptor Type 4 (CXCR4), Mucin 1 (MUC1), and Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (EpCAM)

Background Quercetin, nature’s most common flavonoid, possesses anticarcinogenic properties against various forms of cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of quercetin on breast cancer stem cells in the MDA-MB-231 cell line, and to elucidate the possible mechanisms for those effects. Material/Methods We evaluated breast cancer stem cell proliferation, clone generation, and mammosphere formation to determine the effect of quercetin treatment on breast cancer stem cells. Results In our study, quercetin suppressed breast cancer stem cell proliferation, self-renewal, and invasiveness. It also lowered the expression levels of proteins related to tumorigenesis and cancer progression, such as aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1, C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4, mucin 1, and epithelial cell adhesion molecules. Conclusions These results indicate that quercetin targets and destroys breast cancer stem cells, making it a potential novel drug in the fight against cancer.

• Publication year

  2018

• Venue

  Medical Science Monitor

• Publication date

  2018-01-21

• Fields of study

  Biology, Medicine, Chemistry

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.12659/MSM.908022PMID 29353288PMCID 5788241
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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