Open AccessMolecular mechanisms underlying the�antimetastatic activity of bufalin (Review)
Author(s) -
Jie Wang,
Yunlong Xia,
Qingshong Zuo,
Teng Chen
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
molecular and clinical oncology
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 7
eISSN - 2049-9469
pISSN - 2049-9450
DOI - 10.3892/mco.2018.1591
Subject(s) - bufalin , cancer , molecular medicine , oncogene , cell cycle , apoptosis , metastasis , cancer cell , cancer research , cell growth , cell , biology , pharmacology , medicine , biochemistry
Bufalin is a monomer compound extract from Chansu, which is a traditional Chinese medicine obtained from the skin and parotid venom glands of toads, such as Bufo bufo gargarizans Cantor and Bufo melanostictus Schneider. Chansu had been used in traditional Chinese medicine for >1,000 years due to its cardiac, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. Previous studies identified bufalin as the main anticancer compound of Chansu, and recent evidence has corroborated its anticancer properties. Bufalin inhibits cancer cell proliferation, induces cell cycle arrest, induces cancer cell apoptosis, inhibits neovascularization, induces cell differentiation, inhibits cancer metastasis and invasion, and enhances chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity. However, the function and mechanism of bufalin in metastatic cancer cells have not yet been expounded. The aim of the present review was to discuss the recent progress and prospects of bufalin in the prevention of cancer metastasis, particularly in inhibiting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.