2. Academic Validation
  3. Recombinant α-Toxin BmK-M9 Inhibits Breast Cancer Progression by Regulating β-Catenin In Vivo

Recombinant α-Toxin BmK-M9 Inhibits Breast Cancer Progression by Regulating β-Catenin In Vivo

  • Cell Biochem Biophys. 2025 Mar 13. doi: 10.1007/s12013-025-01711-8.
Wenlin Chen 1,  Zhuocen Cha 1 2,  Saijun Huang 1 3,  Ruimin Liu 1,  Jiayi Chen 1,  Peter Muiruri Kamau 4 5,  Xingjia Lu 6,  Bowen Li 4 5,  Dequan Liu 7
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Breast Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Peking University Cancer Hospital Yunnan, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
  • 2 Oncology department, Guizhou Hospital of the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China.
  • 3 Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Changsha County, Changsha, Hunan, China.
  • 4 Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province/National & Local Joint Engineering Center of Natural Bioactive Peptides, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
  • 5 National Resource Center for Non-Human Primates, Kunming Primate Research Center/National Research Facility for Phenotypic & Genetic Analysis of Model Animals (Primate Facility), Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
  • 6 Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
  • 7 Department of Breast Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Peking University Cancer Hospital Yunnan, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Kunming, Yunnan, China. liudequan321@outlook.com.
PMID: 40080350 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-025-01711-8
Abstract

Screening bioactive compounds from natural sources, including Animals and Plants, is a valuable strategy for identifying novel anti-tumor agents. α-Toxin BmK-M9, a key component of scorpion venom, has received limited attention regarding its potential anti-cancer effects and underlying mechanisms in breast Cancer. This study investigates the effects and mechanisms of BmK-M9 in breast Cancer using in vitro experiments and a nude mouse model. mRNA Sequencing was performed to identify affected signaling pathways, while Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were utilized to analyze the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. The results demonstrated that BmK-M9 significantly inhibited breast Cancer cell invasion and migration in vitro and suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that BmK-M9 influenced cellular processes related to proliferation, Apoptosis, motility, and metabolism. Furthermore, BmK-M9 markedly downregulated β-catenin expression in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. These findings suggest that BmK-M9 exerts anti-tumor effects in breast Cancer by modulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling, highlighting its potential as a promising therapeutic candidate.

Keywords

BmK-M9; Breast cancer; Invasiveness; Metastasis; Proliferation; β-catenin.

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