Suppression of Nrf2 Activity by Chestnut Leaf Extract Increases Chemosensitivity of Breast Cancer Stem Cells to Paclitaxel.

ABSTRACT: Due to metastatic potential and drug resistance, cancer stem cells (CSCs) have become a critical target for the development of chemotherapeutic agents. Recent studies showed that CSCs highly express NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated antioxidant enzymes and thereby retain relatively low levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Since anticancer agents usually utilize ROS as an arsenal for killing cancer cells, we hypothesized that inhibition of Nrf2 activity could increase the sensitivity of CSCs to anticancer drugs, and thus enhancing their therapeutic efficacy. We found that MCF-7-derived CSCs with a CD44^high/CD24^low phenotype formed mammospheres and highly expressed Nrf2 compared to the adherent parental MCF-7 cells. In a separate experiment, we screened 89 diff

SUBMITTER: Woo Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5537874 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature