Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor in women. It has metastasis as the primary cause of death and chemotherapy failure among patients. Terpenoids possess significant anti-tumor compounds found in natural products. In the present study, a terpenoid ingredient with anti-breast cancer from quinoa was extracted, and named QBT (Quinoa bran terpenoids). The analysis of western blot indicated that QBT inhibited breast cancer cell migration by reversing Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT). RT-PCR results showed that miR-21-5p expression was significantly down-regulated after QBT treatment. Further studies demonstrated that miR-21-5p was involved in inhibiting the metastasis of breast cancer by regulating PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. In conclusion, the study reveals the inhibitory mechanism of QBT and provides insights into the key role of the miR-21-5p/PTEN/PI3K/Akt on breast cancer migration.
