Venoms are a rich source of bioactive compounds, and among them is leberagin-C (Leb-C), a disintegrin-like protein derived from the venom of Macrovipera lebetina transmediterrannea snakes. Leb-C has shown promising inhibitory effects on platelet aggregation. Previous studies have demonstrated that this SECD protein specifically targets α5β1, αvβ3, and αvβ6 integrins through a mimic mechanism of RGD disintegrins. In our current study, we focused on exploring the potential effects of Leb-C on metastatic breast cancer. Our findings revealed that Leb-C disrupted the adhesion, migration, and invasion capabilities of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and its highly metastatic D3H2LN sub-population. Additionally, we observed significant suppression of adhesion, migration, and invasion of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Furthermore, Leb-C demonstrated a strong inhibitory effect on fibroblast-growth-factor-2-induced proliferation of HUVEC. We conducted in vivo experiments using nude mice and found that treatment with 2 µM of Leb-C resulted in a remarkable 73% reduction in D3H2LN xenograft tumor size. Additionally, quantification of intratumor microvessels revealed a 50% reduction in tumor angiogenesis in xenograft after 21 days of twice-weekly treatment with 2 µM of Leb-C. Collectively, these findings suggest the potential utility of this disintegrin-like protein for inhibiting aggressive and resistant metastatic breast cancer.
Keywords: HUVEC; TNBC; angiogenesis; breast cancer; disintegrin-like; migration.