Sanya Haiaty
1,2,3,4 
, Mohammad-Reza Rashidi
1, Maryam Akbarzadeh
1,5, Ahad Bazmany
6,3, Mostafa Mostafazadeh
2, Saba Nikanfar
2, Roya Shabkhizan
7, Rostam Rezaeian
3, Reza Rahbarghazi
8,9* , Mohammad Nouri
1,2,81 Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
2 Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Laboratories, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
3 Research Center of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
4 Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
5 Department of Biochemistry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
6 Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University Of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
7 Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
8 Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
9 Departmnt of Applied Cell Sciences, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: The inhibition of vascularization into tumor stroma as well as dynamic cell growth is the center of attention. Here, we aimed to examine the role of vandetanib on angiogenesis capacity of breast cancer stem cell (CSCs).
Methods: MDA-MB-231 cells were exposed to different doses of vandetanib and survival rate was monitored. Stimulatory effects of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were evaluated in vandetanib-treated MDA-MB-231 cells. In vitro tubulogenesis capacity was studied on the Matrigel surface. The synergistic effects of vandetanib on cell survival were also assessed after PI3K and/or Wnt3a inhibition. Vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), -9, Wnt3a, and p-Akt/Akt ratio were measured using western blotting.
Results: Vandetanib reduced survival rate in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Proliferative effects associated with VEGF, FGF, and EGF were blunted in these cells pre-exposed to vandetanib (P < 0.05). The microcirculation pattern’s triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) was suppressed by 1, 5 µM of vandetanib (P < 0.05). Hence 1, 5 µM of vandetanib potentially decreased the population of CD24– cells. 1 and 5 µM of vandetanib inhibited cell proliferation by blocking PI3K and Wnt3a pathways and decreased the p-Akt/Akt ratio, Wnta3 protein levels (P < 0.05). 1 and 5 µM vandetanib combined with PI3K inhibitor diminished metastatic markers including, MMP-2, and MMP-9. The concurrent treatment (PI3K, inhibitor+ 1, 5 µM vandetanib) also considerably reduced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers such as VE-cadherin (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Vandetanib suppressed vasculogenic mimicry (VM) networking through blunting stemness properties, coincided with suppression of VE-cadherin in CSCs.