Thieno[2,3-]Pyridine Derivative Targets Epithelial, Mesenchymal and Hybrid CD15s Breast Cancer Cells.

The adhesion of cancer cells to vascular endothelium is a critical process in hematogenous metastasis and might be similar to the recruitment of leukocytes at the site of inflammation. It is mediated by E-selectin and its ligands, of which the most stereospecific is a glycoconjugate sialyl Lewis x (CD15s), which may be expressed as an oligosaccharide branch of the CD44 glycoprotein, as well as a self-contained glycosphingolipid. It is also known that increased sialylation of glycoconjugates is a feature of malignant cells. The aim of the study was to analyse the effect of a novel thieno[2,3-]pyridine, compound , in MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer cells (TNBCs) upon CD15s and CD44 expression in different cell subpopulations using flow cytometry. CD15s expression was compared between mesenchymal-like cancer stem cells (CSC, CD44CD24), epithelial cells without CD44 (CD44CD24 and CD44CD24), and CD44CD24 cells that exhibit mesenchymal and epithelial features. In addition, expression of CD44 in CD15sCSC and CD15sCSC was determined. Compound significantly decreased the percentage of CD15sCSC, CD15sCD44CD24, and CD15sCD44 subpopulations, as well as the expression of CD15s in CD44CD24 and CD44 cells, and therefore shows potential as a treatment for TNBC.