Dihydroartemisinin inhibits metastatic potential and cancer stemness by modulating the miR-200b-BMI-1/VEGF-A axis in ovarian cancer.

ABSTRACT: Despite therapeutic advances, ovarian cancer remains a major clinical challenge owing to its frequent metastasis and chemoresistance, which are often driven by cancer stem cells (CSCs) and proangiogenic signaling. Here we demonstrated that dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a derivative of the antimalarial drug artemisinin, inhibits CSC characteristics, tumor neovascularization and resistance to carboplatin via a microRNA-dependent mechanism in ovarian cancer. DHA substantially inhibited CSC properties, tumorigenicity and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A)-mediated tumor neovascularization in ovarian cancer. Moreover, the combined treatment with DHA and carboplatin produced a synergistic effect that reduced tumor burden, chemoresistance and peritoneal dissemination in vivo. Mechanistical

SUBMITTER: Cho JG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12800336 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature