Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate alleviates the malignant phenotype in A-431 epidermoid and SK-BR-3 breast cancer cell lines

Abstract

In this study, we evaluated the effects of epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) in two cancer cell lines, A-431 overexpressing ErbB1 and SK-BR-3, overexpressing ErbB2. EGCG treatment showed dose-dependent collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ_m), increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, changes in nuclear morphology and reduced viability. Flow cytometry data indicated that EGCG partially decreases the phosphorylation of several proteins involved in cell proliferation and survival: pErbB1(Y1173, Y1068), pAkt(S473) and pERK(Y204). EGCG affected the clonogenic growth in both cell lines with an EC₅₀ of 2.5 and 5.4 µM for A-431 and SK-BR-3, respectively. Wound scratch assay demonstrated that EGCG inhibited the healing in dose-dependent manner and the effect was correlated with partial reduction in phosphorylation of pFAK(S910). Our data suggest that EGCG administration might reduce the unfavourable traits, particularly associated with ErbB1/EGFR overexpression.

Keywords:

• Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate
• mitochondrial membrane potential
• ROS
• cancer
• signalling pathways

Acknowledgments

The authors thank to Cristea Rodica for her excellent technical assistance.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The founding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results.

Additional information

Funding

This work has been supported by research grants from the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, Hungary (K103906, K120302, GINOP-2.3.2-15-2016-00020, and GINOP-2.3.2-15-2016-00050).