AIM: To investigate the effect of norcantharidin(NCTD)on proliferation and invasion of human breast cancer cell line SKBR3 in vitro and its anticancer mechanisms.METHODS: MTT assay was used to determine SKBR3 cell proliferation. Light and FACScan were used to detect apoptosis and cell cycle. The invasiveness of SKBR3 was evaluated by the adhesion test,Matrigel experiment and the crossing-river test.RESULTS: NCTD had inhibitive effects on growth of SKBR3 cells in a dose and time-dependent manner, with the IC50 value of 12.5 mg/L at 24 h.The cells treated with 10 mg/L NCTD for 24 h and 48 h showed typical apoptotic morphology and hypodiploid peak before G1 phase. The cell cycle was arrested at G2/M phase. The apoptosis percentage was up to 3.44% and 6.17%, and the G2/M percentage was up to 35.82% and 38.70%. NCTD also could inhibit obviously the adhesion, movement and invasive capability simulating human basement membrane of SKBR3. Its effect was also in a dose-dependent manner. In the NCTD-treated group, crossing-river time was prolonged significantly and passing-membrane cells markedly decreased. CONCLUSION: NCTD in vitro inhibits not only the proliferation and growth of human breast cancer cells but also invasion and metastasis of the cells at relatively low concentration. NCTD shows prominent anti-tumor effects.

AIM: To detect the effect of conjunction matrigel with mammary fad pat(MFP)implantation on the tumorigenesis, proliferation, apoptosis and metastasis of Her2 positive and negative breast cancer model. METHODS: The Her2 positive BT 474 and Her2 negative MDA-MB 231 breast cancer cells were injected into MFP of nude mice with or without matrigel to establish breast cancer model. The tumor volume was measured every 3 d. Followed up for 30 d after implantation, the nude mice were killed and the tumors and associated organs were dissected for pathological sectioning and staining with hematoxylin and eosin. The time of tumor formation and the tumorigenesis were determined after implantation. The tumor volume and metastasis rate were calculated and compared with each other. The proliferation and apoptosis of Her2 positive and negative tumors were also determined. RESULTS: Matrigel and MFP implantation technology shortened the time of tumorigenesis significantly(P<0.01). The tumorigenesis rate of BT 474 and MDA-MB 231 breast cancer cells did not show any different(P>0.05). The metastasis rate of MDA-MB 231 breast cancer cells were improved from 25.0% to 37.5%(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Matrigel and MFP implantation can be combined to shorten the time of tumor formation by two kinds of breast cancer cells, and improve the metastasis of Her2 negative MDA-MB 231 cells. Using matrigel does not show any effect of proliferation and apoptosis on Her2 positive and negative breast cancer cells.