Immune Effect of Active Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Abstract

Triple-negative breast cancers are heterogeneous, poorly prognostic, and metastatic malignancies that result in a high risk of death for patients. Targeted therapy for triple-negative breast cancer has been extremely challenging due to the lack of expression of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Clinical treatment regimens for triple-negative breast cancer are often based on paclitaxel and platinum drugs, but drug resistance and side effects from the drugs frequently lead to treatment failure, thus requiring the development of new therapeutic platforms. In recent years, research on traditional Chinese medicine in modulating the immune function of the body has shown that it has the potential to be an effective treatment option against triple-negative breast cancer. Active components of herbal medicines such as alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols, saponins, and polysaccharides have been shown to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and metastasis by activating inflammatory immune responses and can modulate tumor-related signaling pathways to further inhibit the invasion of triple-negative breast cancer. This paper reviews the immunomodulatory mechanisms of different herbal active ingredients against triple-negative breast cancer and provides an outlook on the challenges and directions of development for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer with herbal active ingredients.

Therapeutic effects of Crataegus monogyna inhibitors against breast cancer

“…By constructing and analyzing molecular networks that underlie breast cancer, researchers can identify critical signaling pathways and potential drug targets that are involved in the development and progression of the disease. Recently, Zhao et al (2021 ) used network-pharmacology-based approaches to identify a potential drug target for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a subtype of breast cancer that is particularly aggressive and difficult to treat. The researchers identified a protein called ITGA5 that plays a critical role in the growth and spread of TNBC cells.…”

Schisantherin A inhibits cell proliferation by regulating glucose metabolism pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma

“…Growing evidence has indicated that active ingredients in Chinese herbal medicines play a role in inhibiting mechanisms involved in the development of cancer, with stimulating mechanisms associated with disease prevention ( Lam et al, 2022 ). These compounds have been shown to exert anticancer ( Zhao et al, 2021 ), anti-inflammatory ( Tao et al, 2022 ), and anti-oxidant effects ( Gu et al, 2022 ), and may provide new treatment options for cancer.…”

The therapeutic effect of traditional Chinese medicine on breast cancer through modulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

“…Compounding the challenge, TNBC’s aggressive nature results in a higher risk of distant metastasis, leading to a more dire prognosis compared to other breast cancer subtypes ( Saranya et al, 2020 ; Yang et al, 2021 ). In the clinical realm, the primary therapeutic interventions for advanced TNBC remain anthracycline chemotherapy drugs ( Coates et al, 2015 ; Yu et al, 2020 ; Zhao et al, 2021 ). While these can extend patient survival, their pronounced toxic effects often prove intolerable for many patients ( Goto et al, 2018 ).…”