The aspirin metabolite salicylate inhibits breast cancer cells growth and their synthesis of the osteolytic cytokines interleukins-6 and -11.

Some epidemiological studies have suggested that aspirin could be a chemopreventive agent against breast cancer. We tested the effects of the aspirin metabolite salicylate (SA) on four (Hs578T, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and T-47D) breast cancer cell (BCC) lines in vitro. Two features were studied: the proliferation of BCC and their production of the osteolytic cytokines interleukins-6 (IL-6) and -11 (IL-11) since BCC frequently metastasize to bone and induce tumor-induced osteolysis. SA, from 0.5 to 5 mM, caused BCC growth inhibition by up to 70% (IC50 range 2.54 to 4.28 mM). At high concentrations, the drug induced apoptosis only (MDA-MB-231), or both apoptosis and primary necrosis (MCF-7). SA, as well as indomethacin (INDO), reduced the synthesis of IL-6 and -11, at both the protein and mRNA levels, in the two cell lines producing these cytokines (MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T). This latter effect seemed to be mediated by PGE2 since SA and INDO reduced PGE2 levels in MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T cells, PGE2 was not detected in MCF-7 and T-47D cells and exogenous PGE2 increased IL-6 and -11 expression by MDA-MB-231 cells. Collectively, our results suggest that SA could reduce the growth of breast tumors and inhibit to some extent the ability of BCC to induce osteoclast recruitment and osteolysis. These data indicate the need for further epidemiological and experimental studies.