Polysaccharides from Huaier induce autophagy-dependent ferroptosis to inhibit breast cancer stem cells in triple-negative breast cancer.

ABSTRACT: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive subtype with poor prognosis and limited treatment options, largely due to the presence of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) that contribute to chemotherapy resistance, metastasis, and relapse. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic potential of polysaccharides from Huaier (PS-T) in targeting BCSCs via a novel mechanism involving autophagy-dependent ferroptosis. We first identified a 17-gene stemness signature from TCGA data of 167 TNBC patients, which correlated with poor prognosis. Using this signature, we developed a prognostic model that demonstrated strong predictive power for TNBC survival. In vitro, PS-T treatment significantly reduced the stemness markers POU5F1, SOX2, and NANOG, and decreased the ALDH⁺ an

SUBMITTER: Zhou L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12801537 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature