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Fucoidan is an active component of seaweed, and could inhibit proliferation and induce apoptotic cell death in several tumor cells. However, the function of fucoidan in breast cancer is largely unknown. In the present study, we evaluated the anti-cancer potential of fucoidan in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to receive fucoidan (200 or 400 mg/kg·body weight per day) or normal saline via gastric gavage for 3 consecutive days. Serum samples were prepared from these rats, and used for subsequent experiments to examine the potential effects in MCF-7 cells. Cell viability was determined using a 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Apoptosis was examined with Hoechst33258 staining and flow cytometry. Cell migration and invasion were measured by wound scratch assay and Transwell assay, respectively. Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to examine the expression of secretory E-cadherin and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Conditioned serum from fucoidan-treated rats significantly suppressed cell proliferation and enhanced apoptosis. Cell migration and invasion were also significantly decreased. Observed effects of conditioned serum were associated with upregulation of E-cadherin and downregulation of MMP-9. Conditioned serum of rats treated with fucoidan could inhibit the proliferation and promote apoptosis of MCF-7 cells. Cell invasion and migration were inhibited, possibly via decreased epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. Fucoidan may be a promising therapeutic agent for human breast cancers.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic value of 18F-FDG-PET/CT (PET/CT) with ultrasonography (US) in detection of primary breast cancer and axillary lymph nodes (ALN) metastasis of breast cancer., Methods: One hundred and sixty four patients with breast carcinoma were recruited and analyzed retrospectively. All patients underwent PET-CT and US. The PET/CT scan results for the diagnosis of primary breast cancer were compared with US. The diagnostic accuracy of PET/CT in detecting ALN metastasis was compared with histopathology., Results: In 164 patients with cytologically established breast carcinoma, the sensitivity of PET/CT and US in the diagnosis of breast cancer were 86% (141/164), 91% (149/164), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity of PET/CT and US in ALN staging were 46% and 54%, 91% and 91%, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of PET/CT correlated with the ALN size, the SUVmax of primary breast cancer (P=0.02 and 0.04)., Conclusions: PET/CT is very expensive, and not superior to US in detection of primary breast cancer and in ALN staging, but superior in detecting distant metastases. PET/CT cannot be recommended as a primary diagnostic procedure in early breast cancer. US should still remain the first line for the diagnosis of stage I breast cancer. In relation to the detection of axillary node metastases, both PET/CT and ultrasonography have poor sensitivity, and cannot replace staging by using the sentinel node procedure.

Purpose Fucoidan, a complex, sulfated polysaccharide obtained from brown seaweed, exerted anticancer activity through the down-regulation of β-catenin signaling in mouse breast cancer cells in our previous study. This study examines the anti-cancer effects of fucoidan as well as its underlying molecular mechanisms in the human triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line and in 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced experimental mammary carcinogenesis in rats. Methods in vitro studies, fluorescent staining, flow cytometry and Western blotting were performed to analyze apoptosis and protein expression in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. In vivo intervention experiments were conducted with Sprague Dawley (SD) rats with DMBA-induced breast cancer. Tumor volumes and weights were measured. Results in vitro fucoidan treatment inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells. Western blotting detected that Cyt C and Smac were released into the cell cytoplasm and that caspase-3 and caspase-9 were activated in MDA-MB-231 cells. The levels of AIF and EndoG were significantly increased in the cytoplasm and in the nuclei by fucoidan. These data show that fucoidan induced caspase-dependent and caspase-independent apoptosis. Moreover, fucoidan treatment down-regulated the expression of Bid, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl and up-regulated the level of Bax. In vivo, fucoidan supplementation decreased the mean tumor weight., Discussion: Results from the in vivo and in vitro experiments both showed that fucoidan decreased the levels of p-PI3K, p-AKT and p-GSK-3β (Ser9) in breast cancer. The level of β-catenin was also decreased. These results suggest that fucoidan can inhibit MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells and DMBA-induced tumors in rats by down-regulating the PI3 K/AKT/GSK3β pathway. This study provides experimental evidence that elucidates the mechanism of antitumor effect of fucoidan and clarifies the mechanism of the effect of fucoidan on the regulation of β-catenin., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)