Abstract

Total flavones of Selaginella uncinata (Desv.) spring has inhibitory effects on cancer progression. The study aims to analyze the effects of total flavones of Selaginella uncinata on breast cancer cell tumor properties and the possible mechanism. MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with total flavones of Selaginella uncinata or transfected with anti-microRNA-negative control or anti-microRNA-1269. In addition, microRNA-negative control or microRNA-1269 mimics-transfected MDA-MB-231 cells were exposed to total flavones of Selaginella uncinata. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were investigated via cell counting kit-8, cell colony formation or flow cytometry analysis. MicroRNA-1269, cleaved caspase-3 or cleaved caspase-9 expression was determined through quantitative polymerase chain reaction or Western blotting. After total flavones of Selaginella uncinata treatment, the cell proliferation inhibition rate, cell apoptosis rate, cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9 protein levels were increased, the number of cell colonies was decreased, and microRNA-1269 was downregulated in a dose-dependent way. Relative to MCF-10A cells, microRNA-1269 expression was upregulated in MDA-MB-231 cells. After transfection of anti-microRNA-1269, cell apoptosis rate, cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9 protein levels and the cell proliferation inhibition rate were increased, but cell colony-forming ability was decreased. After treatment of microRNA-1269 mimics and total flavones of Selaginella uncinata, the cell proliferation inhibition rate, cell apoptosis rate, cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9 protein levels were reduced and cell colony-forming ability was promoted. Total flavones of Selaginella uncinata can inhibit the proliferation and cell colony-forming ability and induce apoptosis of breast cancer cells via negatively modulating microRNA-1269.