Shining a Light on the Effects of the Combination of (–)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and Tapentadol on the Growth of Human Triple-negative Breast Cancer Cells

Abstract

Background/Aim: Breast cancer is characterized by a high rate of mortality and is considered one of the deadliest types of cancer. It is of note that (-)epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the principal catechin of green tea, is able to hinder the growth of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells by influencing different signaling pathways, including apoptosis. Furthermore, EGCG is also used in the treatment of bone cancer pain. Tapentadol, an opioid drug acting at the level of noradrenaline (norepinephrine) reuptake inhibition and μ-opioid receptor, is able to modulate bone cancer pain and influence cancer cell viability by regulating apoptosis. Materials and Methods: In vitro assays were performed on triple-negative MDA-MB-231 cells treated with tapentadol (1,5,10,20, 40 and 80 μg/ml) and EGCG (1,10,20, 40, 80, 160 μmol/l), alone and in combination. The effects of EGCG and TAP on viability were determined by woundhealing and MTT assays, while cell migration was assessed by transwell migration. Results: Cell proliferation, viability and apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells were impaired by the combination of EGCG and tapentadol. Specifically, our data show that EGCG and TAP reduced the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells by impairing cell-cycle progression (p<0.05). These findings suggest that the combination of these substances may represent a new strategy for the treatment of patients suffering from triple-negative breast cancer.

The Role of EGCG in Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy.

“…Additionally, EGCG induces cell apoptosis by suppressing the expression of anti-apoptotic factors such as Bcl-2, BcL-xL and survivin, accompanied by the inhibition of NF-kB, JAK/STAT and PI3K/Akt pathways, in the breast cancer cell lines 4T1, T47D, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 [45,[48][49][50][51]. The inhibition of activation of PI3K/Akt results in the suppression of survivin, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family of proteins, followed by increased caspase-9 activity [52].…”

Overcoming the Challenges of Phytochemicals in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Therapy: The Path Forward

“…Other phytochemicals with promising anticancer effects on TNBC cells, in addition to resveratrol and curcumin, are epigallocatechin-3- O -gallate (EGCG) found in green tea [ 158 , 159 , 160 , 161 ], capsaicin found in chili peppers [ 162 , 163 , 164 ], and quercetin found in onions [ 165 , 166 ]. In TNBC cells, these phytochemicals have been found to promote apoptosis, block angiogenesis, and affect the immune system.…”

An Overview on the Potential Roles of EGCG in the Treatment of COVID-19 Infection

“…EGCG, is the principal constituent and most important polyphenolic catechin found in green tea. [12][13][14][15][16][17][18] As largely reported, EGCG possesses many biological properties (ie antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory) due to a galloyl side chain contained in its chemical structure. 19 It has been shown that polyphenols and EGCG, through sticking with some molecules present in viruses, are able to regulate their functions.…”