Sufentanil combined with parecoxib sodium inhibits breast cancer proliferation and metastasis via regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition in HER2-positive breast cancer cells

Background: Sufentanil combined with parecoxib sodium is a commonly used combination of postoperative anesthetic analgesics in perioperative oncology patients. However, the effects on HER2-positive breast cancer cells are still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and potential mechanisms of sufentanil combined with parecoxib sodium on HER2-positive breast cancer cells. Methods: : Cell proliferation, cycle, migration and invasion abilities were assessed by CCK-8 assay, plate clone formation assay, flow cytometric cycle assay, scratch and transwell invasion assays, and Western blot assay was used to detect the expression of proteins involved in cell cycle, migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins. The effect of tumor growth and metastasis in vivo was examined by constructing an orthotopic transplantation model of HER2-positive breast cancer in mice. Results: : Functional assays indicated that sufentanil combined with parecoxib sodium induced blockade of HER2-positive breast cancer cells BT474 in the G1 phase of the cell cycle and inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro . Western blot assays revealed that sufentanil combined with parecoxib sodium down-regulated the expression of Cyclin D1, MMP-9, MMP-2 and VEGFA proteins in BT474 cells, as well as the expression of mesenchymal phenotypic proteins N-cadherin, Vimentin and Snail, while upregulated the expression of epithelial phenotypic protein E-cadherin. In addition, we found that sufentanil combined with parecoxib sodium inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in a recipient mice model. Conclusion: Sufentanil combined with parecoxib sodium inhibits HER2-positive breast cancer disease progression, including cell proliferation, cycle, migration, and invasion, and this alteration is associated with EMT.