AUTHOR=Zhong Zhang-Feng , Yu Hai-Bing , Wang Chun-Ming , Qiang Wen-An , Wang Sheng-Peng , Zhang Jin-Ming , Yu Hua , Cui Liao , Wu Tie , Li De-Qiang , Wang Yi-Tao 

TITLE=Furanodiene Induces Extrinsic and Intrinsic Apoptosis in Doxorubicin-Resistant MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells via NF-κB-Independent Mechanism

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2017

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2017.00648

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2017.00648

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=Chemotherapy is a primary approach in cancer treatment after routine surgery. However, chemo-resistance tend to occur with chemotherapy in clinic, resulting in poor prognosis and recurrence. Nowadays, Chinese medicine may shed light on design of new therapeutic modes to overcome chemo-resistance. Furanodiene, as a heat-sensitive sesquiterpene, is isolated from the essential oil of Rhizoma Curcumae. Even though growing evidences claimed that furanodiene possesses anti-cancer activities in various types of cancers, the underlying mechanisms against chemo-resistant cancer are not fully clear. Our study found that furanodiene could display anti-cancer effects through inhibiting cell viability, inducing cell cytotoxicity, and suppressing cell proliferation in doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Furthermore, furanodiene preferentially causes apoptosis by interfering with intrinsic/extrinsic-dependent and NF-κB-independent pathways in doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 cells. These observations also prompt that furanodiene may be developed as a promising natural product for multidrug-resistant cancer therapy in the future.