Taiwan cobra cardiotoxin III suppresses EGF/EGFR-mediated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and invasion of human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells

Breast cancer is a highly malignant carcinoma and most deaths of breast cancer are caused by metastasis. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has emerged as a pivotal event in the development of the invasive and metastatic potentials of cancer progression. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor, EGFR, play roles in cancer metastasis. CTX III, a basic polypeptide isolated from Naja naja atra venom, has been shown to exhibit anticancer activity; however, the effect of CTX III on the EMT of cancer cells remains elusive. CTX III treatment resulted in morphological changes from elongated and spindle shape to rounded and epithelial-like shape, induced upregulation of E-cadherin and concurrent downregulation of N-cadherin and Vimentin protein levels, corresponding to observed decreases in cell migration and invasion. CTX III treatment also decreased the expression of Snail and Twist in EGF-induced MDA-MB-231 cells. Concurrently, CTX III efficiently inhibited the EGFR phosphorylation and downstream activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and ERK1/2. The EGFR specific inhibitor AG1478 significantly suppressed ERK1/2 and Akt phosphorylation, cell migration and invasion, as well as the expressional changes associated with EMT markers in EGF-induced MDA-MB-231 cells. CTX III inhibitory effect on EGF-evoked invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells is mediated through suppressing EGF/EGFR activation and EMT process.