Antitumoral potential of Chartergellus-CP1 peptide from Chartergellus communis wasp venom in two different breast cancer cell lines (HR plus and triple-negative)

Breast cancer represents the most incident cancer in women. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy remain the main treatment for this type of cancer. However, increasing resistance to anticancer drugs through poor response for some types of breast cancer to treatments highlights the need to develop new therapeutic agents to fight the disease. In this study, we evaluated the anti-tumor potential of the Chartergellus-CP1 peptide isolated from the wasp venom of Chartergellus communis in human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 (HR+) and MDA-MB-231 (triple-negative). Cells viability, morphology, cell cycle dynamics, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and apoptosis were assessed for both cell lines after exposure to ChartergellusCP1 during 24 and 48 h. The results showed that Chartergellus-CP1 led to a significant increase of cells in the S phase in addition to a high generation of ROS (being more evident in the MCF-7 cell line) associated with apoptotic cell death. This work demonstrates, for the first time, the cytotoxic effects of Chatergellus-CP1 on human breast cancer cell lines including cell cycle profile, oxidative stress generation, and cell death mechanisms.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the anti-tumor potential of Chartergellus-CP1 peptide in human breast cancer cells. The results showed that Chartergellus-CP1 led to an increase in cells in the S phase and induced oxidative stress and cell death. This work provides new insights into the cytotoxic effects of Chartergellus-CP1 on breast cancer cells.