To investigate the effects of Cepharanthine on apoptosis, energy metabolism and angiogenesis of breast cancer cells by regulating the microRNA (miR)-378c/Golgi transport 1A protein (GOLT1A) axis.

MDA-MB-231 cells in the logarithmic growth phase were divided into the following groups: Control group (no treatment), NC inhibitor group (transfected with miR-378c inhibitor negative control), miR-378c inhibitor group (transfected with miR-378c inhibitor), si-NC group (transfected with si-NC plasmid), si-GOLT1A group (transfected with si-GOLT1A plasmid), Cepharanthine group (20 μmol·L^-1 Cepharanthine), Cepharanthine combined with miR-378c inhibitor group (Cepharanthine group with miR-378c inhibitor transfection) and miR-378c inhibitor combined with si-GOLT1A group (Cepharanthine group with co-transfection of miR-378c inhibitor and si-GOLT1A plasmid). Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the relative expression levels of miR-378c, GOLT1A, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and thrombospondin-1 (THBS1); kits were used to detect energy metabolism indicators; immunofluorescence was used to detect VEGFA and THBS1 expression levels.

The relative expression levels of miR-378c in the control group and Cepharanthine group were 1.00±0.14 and 3.26±0.48, respectively; the relative expression levels of GOLT1A mRNA were 1.00±0.15 and 0.43±0.07, respectively. The glutamine concentrations in the control group, Cepharanthine group, Cepharanthine combined with miR-378c inhibitor group and miR-378c inhibitor combined with si-GOLT1A group were (22.03±3.14), (8.27±1.94), (17.25±2.86) and (13.11±2.28) nmol·10^-7 cells, respectively; the acetyl coenzyme A concentrations were (11.32±2.06), (5.71±1.19), (9.62±1.85) and (6.67±1.63) nmol·10^-6 cells, respectively; the succinate concentrations were (53.67±6.92), (21.24±3.87), (39.82±4.39) and (30.36±4.21) nmol·mg^-1·Pr^-1, respectively; the ATP production values were (2.32±0.42), (0.96±0.12), (1.91±0.33) and (1.16±0.26) mmol·mg^-1·Pr^-1, respectively; the relative expression levels of VEGFA mRNA were 1.00±0.14, 0.56±0.10, 0.84±0.13 and 0.69±0.10, respectively; the relative expression levels of THBS1 mRNA were 1.00±0.12, 3.43±0.57, 2.04±0.36 and 3.10±0.52, respectively; the relative fluorescence intensities of VEGFA were 1.00±0.11, 0.37±0.05, 0.76±0.09 and 0.48±0.06, respectively; and the relative fluorescence intensities of THBS1 were 1.00±0.09, 3.71±0.62, 1.88±0.31 and 2.55±0.37, respectively. All the above indicators showed significant differences between the control group and the Cepharanthine group, the Cepharanthine group and the Cepharanthine combined with miR-378c inhibitor group, the Cepharanthine combined with miR-378c inhibitor group and the miR-378c inhibitor combined with si-GOLT1A group (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001).

Cepharanthine can promote apoptosis and inhibit energy metabolism and angiogenesis in breast cancer cells, which may be related to its regulation of the miR-378c/GOLT1A axis.