Exploring Anti metastatic Breast Cancer Potential of Enterolactone a Mammalian Lignan derived from Flax Lignan

Abstract

One of the approaches to treat metastatic cancers is to prevent metastasis by investigating molecular and cellular mechanisms of malignancy. In general cancer cell metastasis comprises of an orderly sequence of pathological molecular events, collectively termed as metastatic cascade; starting with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT); extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling; intravasation; survival of cancer cells in the blood stream; extravasation and colonization to prosper in a new more cozy environment. EMT is the prime process responsible for modification in cellular characteristics of cancer cells from epithelial to mesenchymal phenotype and triggering ECM remodeling via activation of different proteases such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) to facilitate anoikis resistance, augmented invasiveness and migratory potential to promote metastasis. Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is the molecular subtype of breast cancer which constitutes about 10% to 20% of all breast cancer cases. Absence of ER, PR and HER2 receptors on cancer cells is the molecular hallmark of TNBCs. In the early stage, TNBCs well respond to chemotherapy however, the risk of distant metastasis and relapse is always high with poorer prognosis compared to other breast cancer types. The molecular features of TNBC like absence of ER, PR and HER2 receptors and heterogenic cancer cell population, render them unattainable and hence no targeted therapy has been approved yet. Thus there is an urgent need to improve the therapeutic outcomes of TNBC patients by focusing on numerous studies investigating the association of molecular characteristics with this subtype, therapeutic responses and identification of new targets newlineThe aim of the present study was to investigate molecular and cellular mechanisms to establish the therapeutic value of Enterolactone (EL), a mammalian lignan derived from the flax lignan as a potential anti-cancer and anti-metastatic molecule in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).