Hai Manh Tran

Breast cancer remains the most common malignancy worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have attracted increasing attention for their potential to modulate inflammatory signaling and influence tumor cell behavior. This in vitro study was designed to investigate the effects of ADSC-EVs on MCF-7 breast cancer cells. EVs were isolated from ADSC culture supernatants and applied to MCF-7 cells at concentrations ranging from 0 to 80% (v/v). Cell viability, migration, and expression of IL-6/STAT3 pathway-related genes were evaluated using MTT, scratch assays, and qRT-PCR. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc test, with significance set at p < 0.05. The results showed that 20% EV treatment markedly inhibited MCF-7 cell activity, significantly reducing viability and almost completely blocking migration, with wound closure rates of 35.4% ± 3.80 at 24 h and 47.6% ± 4.2 at 48 h, compared with 48% ± 4.6 and 67% ± 4.2 in the control group, respectively. Notably, expression levels of IL-6, IL-6RST, and STAT3 were significantly downregulated (fold changes 0.155 ± 0.02 and 0.258 ± 0.012, p < 0.01), accompanied by severe disruption of the microtubule network. Immunofluorescence imaging revealed a disorganized microtubule architecture and irregular filament distribution in EV-treated cells, corresponding with decreased expression of TubA1 and CALR genes. These findings indicate that ADSC-EVs not only suppress IL-6/STAT3 inflammatory signaling but also destabilize the intracellular microtubule system, collectively contributing to the inhibition of MCF-7 breast cancer cell migration and survival. This provides an important molecular basis for developing novel EV-based therapeutic strategies in breast cancer treatment.

Despite significant medical advancements, two major health challenges persist: antibiotic resistance in microbial pathogens and drug resistance in cancer cells. To address these issues, research has increasingly focused on discovering novel natural compounds with dual antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Among such candidates, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted attention due to their ability to selectively target microbial and cancer cells while exhibiting minimal toxicity toward normal cells. Although Vietnam possesses rich biodiversity, including a wide range of Anura species, studies on AMPs from these organisms remain limited. In this study, a novel AMP, brevinin-1 E8.13, was identified from the skin secretion of Sylvirana guentheri, a frog species native to Vietnam. The brevinin-1 E8.13 peptide was successfully cloned, sequenced, and chemically synthesized. Functional assays revealed that brevinin-1 E8.13 possesses strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and exerts significant antiproliferative effects on various human cancer cell lines, including A549 (lung), AGS (gastric), Jurkat (leukemia), HCT116 (colorectal), HL60 (leukemia), and HepG2 (liver). The peptide demonstrated moderate to potent cytotoxic activity, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 7.5 to 14.8 μM, depending on the cell type. Notably, brevinin-1 E8.13 exhibited low cytotoxicity toward normal human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cells and even promoted cell proliferation at lower concentrations. Furthermore, Chemically Activated Fluorescent Expression (CAFLUX) bioassay results confirmed that the peptide significantly downregulated Cyp1a1 gene expression in HepG2 cells. Collectively, these findings highlight the therapeutic potential of brevinin-1 E8.13 as a dual-function antimicrobial and anticancer agent derived from the skin secretion of Sylvirana guentheri.