The role of curcumae rhizoma-sparganii rhizoma medicated serum in epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the triple negative breast cancer

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Curcumae Rhizoma-Sparganii Rhizoma (CR-SR) medicated serum on the changes of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The EMT model was developed by using the TNBC MDA-MB-468 cells, which were treated with TGF-β1. The migration and invasion abilities of TGF-β1-treated MDA-MB-468 cells were detected by wound healing assay and transwell assay. Protein expression levels of E-cadherin and vimentin were determined by western blot. CR-SR medicated serum repressed the phenotypic transition in the TGF-β1-induced MDA-MB-468 cells. Moreover, CR-SR medicated serum inhibited TGF-β1-induced cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Besides, CR-SR medicated serum could reduce TGF-β1-induced up-regulation of the phosphorylation levels of Smad3, and reduce the expression of several transcription factors (Snail1, Snail2 and Twist1). CR-SR medicated serum might suppress TGF-β1-induced EMT in TNBC by decreasing the phosphorylated Smad3 (p-Smad3) pathway in vitro.