Glycosphingolipid expression at breast cancer stem cells after novel thieno[2,3-b]pyridine anticancer compound treatment

Glycosphingolipid expression differs between human breast cancer stem cells (CSC) and cancer non-stem cells (non-CSC). We performed studies of viability, type of cell death, cancer stem cell percent and glycosphingolipid expression on CSC and non-CSC after treatment of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-453 triple-negative breast cancer cells with a newly developed thienopyridine anticancer compound (3-amino-N-(3-chloro-2-methylphenyl)-5-oxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrothieno[2,3-b]quinoline-2-carboxamide, 1). Compound 1 was cytotoxic for both breast cancer cell lines and the majority of cells died by treatment-induced apoptosis. The percent of cancer stem cells and number of formed mammospheres was significantly lower. Glycosphingolipids IV(6)Neu5Ac-nLc(4)Cer and GalNAc-GM1b (IV(3)Neu5Ac-Gg5Cer) not reported previously, were identified in both CSCs and non-CSCs. IV(6)Neu5Ac-nLc(4)Cer had increased expression in both CSCs and non-CSCs of both cell lines after the treatment with 1, while GM3 (II(3)Neu5Ac-LacCer) had increased expression only on both cell subpopulations in MDA-MB-231 cell line. GalNAc-GM1b, Gb(4)Cer (GalNAcβ1-3Galα1-4Galβ1-4Glcβ1-1Cer) and GM2 (II(3)Neu5Ac-GalNAcβ1-4Galβ1-4Glcβ1-1Cer) were increased only in CSCs of both cell lines while GD3 was decreased in CSC of MDA-MB-231 cell line. Due to its effect in reducing the percentage of cancer stem cells and number of mammospheres, and its influence upon several glycosphingolipid expressions, it can be concluded that compound 1 deserves attention as a potential new drug for triple-negative breast cancer therapy.