Abstract 5968: Ethnodyne Visio™ affects EGFR signaling in breast cancer

Abstract Breast Cancer (BC), the most common form of female cancer, is one of the most extensively studied diseases. Metastasis is the process by which a cancer cell travels to another part of the body and starts to multiply. This detrimental occurrence is one of the primary forms of disease relapse in cancer patients and accounts for an estimated 90 percent of cancer deaths. Ethnodyne Visio™ is a new drug for Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), the primary cause for blindness in people 65 and older. It is a mixture of phytochemicals Withaferin A, Gallic Acid, and Bacopaside I. However, the exact mechanism of action of Ethnodyne Visio™ is not known. Macular Degeneration occurs in two primary forms: wet and dry. Wet Macular Degeneration shows surprising similarities with metastatic Breast Cancer in terms of their progression and causation. As both diseases evolve, the retina (in the case of Wet AMD) and the tumor (in the case of BC) secrete Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) to encourage vascular development. In Wet AMD, this new and unregulated vascular growth, or angiogenesis, causes “leaky” blood vessels that allow fluid to enter the retina, ultimately causing blindness. In BC, this blood vessel growth provides a means for the tumor to obtain nutrients as well as disseminate metastatic cells. We determined if there exists any easily accessible nutraceuticals possessing effective antiangiogenic properties. We used CAMs (chick chorioallantoic membrane), grown ex-ovo, to study angiogenesis. We found that Ashwagandha (Withaferin A) blocked angiogenesis of CAMs by 67%. Taking clues from these observations, we wanted to determine possible molecular signaling mechanisms triggered by Ethnodyne Visio™ that may counter progression of BC. We hypothesized that Ethnodyne Visio™ may have anti-angiogenic properties. Using multiple online gene association platforms, we compiled a list of transcriptomic changes caused by Withaferin A, Gallic Acid, and Bacopaside I on breast tumor cells. A g:Profiler analysis of the combined transcriptomic changes revealed Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) signaling as a downstream target of the components of Ethnodyne Visio™. Our analysis reveals that Ethnodyne Visio™ potentially regulates VEGF signaling through the EGFR pathway. Citation Format: Rishab Rajeev Samant, Rajeev Samant. Ethnodyne Visio™ affects EGFR signaling in breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 5968.