Advanced Research on Drugs Against Breast Cancer: From Bench to Bedside

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular and Translational Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2025) | Viewed by 1328

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Pharmaceutical Sciences, Union University College of Pharmacy, Jackson, TN, USA
Interests: cancers; antioxidants; combinations of anti-cancer and natural products; natural products; vitamin C

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Breast cancer, a multifaceted disease, remains one of the most prevalent and concerning diseases affecting women worldwide. With its complex nature and significant impact on public health, extensive research efforts are dedicated to understanding, treating, and ultimately eradicating this disease. Breast cancer research encompasses a wide range of scientific disciplines, from molecular biology and genetics to clinical trials and epidemiology. This research is driven by the urgent need to improve early detection methods, develop targeted therapies, and implement effective prevention strategies. With advancements in breast cancer research, our understanding of the disease has been transformed with revolutionized treatment approaches.

The aim of this Special Issue is to bridge the gap between laboratory research (bench) and clinical application (bedside) in the context of drug development for breast cancer. It seeks to highlight the multidisciplinary efforts involved in understanding the molecular mechanisms of breast cancer, identifying novel therapeutic targets, and translating these discoveries into effective treatments for patients. The issue will encompass original research articles, review papers, and perspectives that explore various aspects of breast cancer drug research, from fundamental biology to clinical trials, aiming to foster collaboration and accelerate progress toward improved patient outcomes.

Dr. Lunawati Bennett
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • breast cancer
  • drug discovery
  • therapeutic targets
  • preclinical studies
  • clinical trials
  • molecular mechanism
  • biomarkers
  • drug resistance
  • combination therapies
  • translational research

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

20 pages, 20795 KiB  
Article
Effects of Pharmacological Dose of Vitamin C on MDA-MB-231 Cells
by Lunawati Lo Bennett
Biomedicines 2025, 13(3), 640; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13030640 - 5 Mar 2025
Viewed by 646
Abstract
Background/Objectives: In 2022, approximately 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide, resulting in 670,000 deaths, which accounted for 6.9% of all cancer-related deaths. In the United States, 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. It [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: In 2022, approximately 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide, resulting in 670,000 deaths, which accounted for 6.9% of all cancer-related deaths. In the United States, 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. It was estimated that 2024 would identify about 310,720 women and 2800 men diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. The future global burden of breast cancer is projected to rise to over 3 million new cases and 1 million deaths by 2040. Approximately 20% of breast cancer diagnoses are triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a type of cancer that lacks receptors for estrogen (ER-negative), progesterone (PR-negative), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2/neu-negative). Consequently, TNBC does not respond to hormonal or targeted therapies, making it challenging to treat due to its rapid growth, metastasis, and high recurrence rate within the first three years of therapy. Alternative chemotherapies are needed to address this problem. A pharmacological dose of vitamin C (high-dose VC) has been identified as a potential treatment for some cancer cells. The present study aimed to evaluate whether VC has a therapeutic effect on TNBC, using MDA-MB-231 cells as the model. Additionally, VC’s effects were trialed on other cancer cells such as MCF7 and on non-cancerous kidney HEK 293 and lung CCL205 cells. Methods: The MTT assay, Hoechst 33342 staining, nuclear-ID red/green staining, Rhodamine 123 staining, and Western blot analysis were employed to test the hypothesis that a pharmacological dose of VC can kill TNBC cells. Results: The upregulation of Apaf-1 and caspases -7, -8, and -9, the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9), a reduction in cell cycle protein expression, and the enhancement of tumor suppressor proteins such as p53 and p21 indicate that a pharmacological dose of VC has promising anti-cancer properties in the treatment of breast cancers. Conclusions: Pharmacological dose of VC exerts significant anti-cancer effects in MDA-MB-231 cells by promoting apoptosis, inhibiting metastasis, disrupting cell cycle progression, and enhancing tumor suppressor activity. Full article
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