Exploring the potential of Gonolobus condurango as a histone deacetylase inhibitor in triple-negative breast cancer cell lines: in vitro study

Abstract Background Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype associated with poor prognosis, low survival rates, and high expression of histone deacetylases (HDAC). Treatment with HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) induces the acetylation of histones and thereby the expression of tumor suppressive miR...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Beate Vajen, Vera Schäffer, Marlies Eilers, Brigitte Schlegelberger, Britta Skawran
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-025-04896-w
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849309706869276672
author Beate Vajen
Vera Schäffer
Marlies Eilers
Brigitte Schlegelberger
Britta Skawran
author_facet Beate Vajen
Vera Schäffer
Marlies Eilers
Brigitte Schlegelberger
Britta Skawran
author_sort Beate Vajen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype associated with poor prognosis, low survival rates, and high expression of histone deacetylases (HDAC). Treatment with HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) induces the acetylation of histones and thereby the expression of tumor suppressive miRNAs that regulate proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and differentiation. Gonolobus condurango (GC) has been reported to exhibit HDAC inhibitory effects, and this study aims to investigate whether GC acts as a HDACi in TNBC cell lines. Methods Expression and acetylation analyses were performed on the TNBC cell lines HCC38, HCC1395, and HCC1937. Cells were treated with HDAC inhibitors Trichostatin A (TSA), suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), or Romidepsin as well as with GC Urtincture and different dilutions of GC. Tumor-relevant functional effects were analyzed using WST-1-based proliferation and Caspase-3/7 based apoptosis assays. Induction of expression of tumor-suppressive miRNAs hsa-miRNA-192-5p (miR-192) and hsa-miR-194-2 (miR-194) was analyzed by qRT-PCR. Results Meta-analyses of gene expression showed a significant reduction in HDAC1 and HDAC2 expression in triple-negative breast cancer samples. The TNBC cell lines (HCC38, HCC1395, and HCC1937) used for in vitro assays also exhibited reduced expression of HDAC1, HDAC2, HDAC3, and HDAC4 and low acetylation levels. Treatment with the HDAC inhibitors TSA, SAHA, or Romidepsin induced acetylation, while GC did not. TSA and GC Urtincture induced apoptosis in HCC38, whereas GC dilutions had no effect. Treatment with TSA forced the expression of tumor suppressive miRNAs miR-192 and miR-194, but neither GC Urtincture nor any GC dilution induced the expression of these miRNAs. Conclusion Several classes of HDAC inhibitors have been shown to be potent and specific anticancer agents. In this study, Gonolobus condurango showed no HDAC inhibitory effect in the TNBC cell lines. Identifying new HDAC inhibitors is important, but they must be well characterized before being used as therapeutic agents in humans.
format Article
id doaj-art-2f157b1dfe9845449c30d1b994570044
institution Kabale University
issn 2662-7671
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
spelling doaj-art-2f157b1dfe9845449c30d1b9945700442025-08-20T03:53:58ZengBMCBMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies2662-76712025-05-0125111110.1186/s12906-025-04896-wExploring the potential of Gonolobus condurango as a histone deacetylase inhibitor in triple-negative breast cancer cell lines: in vitro studyBeate Vajen0Vera Schäffer1Marlies Eilers2Brigitte Schlegelberger3Britta Skawran4Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical SchoolDepartment of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical SchoolDepartment of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical SchoolDepartment of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical SchoolDepartment of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical SchoolAbstract Background Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype associated with poor prognosis, low survival rates, and high expression of histone deacetylases (HDAC). Treatment with HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) induces the acetylation of histones and thereby the expression of tumor suppressive miRNAs that regulate proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and differentiation. Gonolobus condurango (GC) has been reported to exhibit HDAC inhibitory effects, and this study aims to investigate whether GC acts as a HDACi in TNBC cell lines. Methods Expression and acetylation analyses were performed on the TNBC cell lines HCC38, HCC1395, and HCC1937. Cells were treated with HDAC inhibitors Trichostatin A (TSA), suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), or Romidepsin as well as with GC Urtincture and different dilutions of GC. Tumor-relevant functional effects were analyzed using WST-1-based proliferation and Caspase-3/7 based apoptosis assays. Induction of expression of tumor-suppressive miRNAs hsa-miRNA-192-5p (miR-192) and hsa-miR-194-2 (miR-194) was analyzed by qRT-PCR. Results Meta-analyses of gene expression showed a significant reduction in HDAC1 and HDAC2 expression in triple-negative breast cancer samples. The TNBC cell lines (HCC38, HCC1395, and HCC1937) used for in vitro assays also exhibited reduced expression of HDAC1, HDAC2, HDAC3, and HDAC4 and low acetylation levels. Treatment with the HDAC inhibitors TSA, SAHA, or Romidepsin induced acetylation, while GC did not. TSA and GC Urtincture induced apoptosis in HCC38, whereas GC dilutions had no effect. Treatment with TSA forced the expression of tumor suppressive miRNAs miR-192 and miR-194, but neither GC Urtincture nor any GC dilution induced the expression of these miRNAs. Conclusion Several classes of HDAC inhibitors have been shown to be potent and specific anticancer agents. In this study, Gonolobus condurango showed no HDAC inhibitory effect in the TNBC cell lines. Identifying new HDAC inhibitors is important, but they must be well characterized before being used as therapeutic agents in humans.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-025-04896-wGonolobus CondurangoTriple-negative breast cancerHistone deacetylase inhibitor
spellingShingle Beate Vajen
Vera Schäffer
Marlies Eilers
Brigitte Schlegelberger
Britta Skawran
Exploring the potential of Gonolobus condurango as a histone deacetylase inhibitor in triple-negative breast cancer cell lines: in vitro study
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Gonolobus Condurango
Triple-negative breast cancer
Histone deacetylase inhibitor
title Exploring the potential of Gonolobus condurango as a histone deacetylase inhibitor in triple-negative breast cancer cell lines: in vitro study
title_full Exploring the potential of Gonolobus condurango as a histone deacetylase inhibitor in triple-negative breast cancer cell lines: in vitro study
title_fullStr Exploring the potential of Gonolobus condurango as a histone deacetylase inhibitor in triple-negative breast cancer cell lines: in vitro study
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the potential of Gonolobus condurango as a histone deacetylase inhibitor in triple-negative breast cancer cell lines: in vitro study
title_short Exploring the potential of Gonolobus condurango as a histone deacetylase inhibitor in triple-negative breast cancer cell lines: in vitro study
title_sort exploring the potential of gonolobus condurango as a histone deacetylase inhibitor in triple negative breast cancer cell lines in vitro study
topic Gonolobus Condurango
Triple-negative breast cancer
Histone deacetylase inhibitor
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-025-04896-w
work_keys_str_mv AT beatevajen exploringthepotentialofgonolobuscondurangoasahistonedeacetylaseinhibitorintriplenegativebreastcancercelllinesinvitrostudy
AT veraschaffer exploringthepotentialofgonolobuscondurangoasahistonedeacetylaseinhibitorintriplenegativebreastcancercelllinesinvitrostudy
AT marlieseilers exploringthepotentialofgonolobuscondurangoasahistonedeacetylaseinhibitorintriplenegativebreastcancercelllinesinvitrostudy
AT brigitteschlegelberger exploringthepotentialofgonolobuscondurangoasahistonedeacetylaseinhibitorintriplenegativebreastcancercelllinesinvitrostudy
AT brittaskawran exploringthepotentialofgonolobuscondurangoasahistonedeacetylaseinhibitorintriplenegativebreastcancercelllinesinvitrostudy