10.6084/m9.figshare.9276533.v1 Patrícia Heloise Alves Bezerra Patrícia Heloise Alves Bezerra Isadora Marques Ferreira Isadora Marques Ferreira Beatriz Tinoco Franceschi Beatriz Tinoco Franceschi Francine Bianchini Francine Bianchini Luciana Ambrósio Luciana Ambrósio Adélia Cristina O. Cintra Adélia Cristina O. Cintra Suely Vilela Sampaio Suely Vilela Sampaio Fabíola Attié de Castro Fabíola Attié de Castro Maria Regina Torqueti Maria Regina Torqueti BthTX-I from Bothrops jararacussu induces apoptosis in human breast cancer cell lines and decreases cancer stem cell subpopulation SciELO journals 2019 apoptosis bothropstoxin breast cancer cancer stem cells 2019-08-07 02:47:49 Dataset https://scielo.figshare.com/articles/dataset/BthTX-I_from_Bothrops_jararacussu_induces_apoptosis_in_human_breast_cancer_cell_lines_and_decreases_cancer_stem_cell_subpopulation/9276533 <div><p>ABSTRACT Background: Breast cancer is the neoplasm with both the highest incidence and mortality rate among women worldwide. Given the known snake venom cytotoxicity towards several tumor types, we evaluated the effects of BthTX-I from Bothrops jararacussu on MCF7, SKBR3, and MDAMB231 breast cancer cell lines. Methods: BthTX-I cytotoxicity was determined via MTT 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazoliumbromide assay. Cell death was measured by a hypotonic fluorescent solution method, annexin-V-FITC/propidium iodide staining and by apoptotic/autophagic protein expression. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) were quantified by flow cytometry using anti-CD24-FITC and anti-CD44-APC antibodies and propidium iodide. Results: BthTX-I at 102 µg/mL induced cell death in all cell lines. The toxin induced apoptosis in MCF7, SKBR3, and MDAMB231 in a dose-dependent manner, as confirmed by the increasing number of hypodiploid nuclei. Expression of pro-caspase 3, pro-caspase 8 and Beclin-1 proteins were increased, while the level of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 was diminished in MCF7 cells. BthTX-I changed the staining pattern of CSCs in MDAMB231 cells by increasing expression of CD24 receptors, which mediated cell death. Conclusions: BthTX-I induces apoptosis and autophagy in all breast cancer cell lines tested and also reduces CSCs subpopulation, which makes it a promising therapeutic alternative for breast cancer.</p></div>