A systematic review of antitumor activity and mechanisms of scorpion venom on human breast cancer cell lines (in vitro study)

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Breast cancer remains the most common malignant tumor of women around the world. Innovative treatments are essential to addressing its diverse subtypes and resistance to treatment. Scorpion Venom and its biologically active proteins are attracting attention as potential anticancer agents due to their multi-target cell effects. This review systematically evaluates the anticancer properties and mechanisms of breast cancer and highlights the potential for treatment.

method: Systematic searches were conducted on five databases up to September 2024 (PubMed, Science Direct, Embase, Ovid, and Kiss). Only in vitro studies using breast cancer cell lines were included that investigated Scorpion venom or its biologically active proteins. The extracted data covered study characteristics, intervention type, control group, dose range, duration, and key outcomes.

result: In total, 19 studies met eligibility criteria. Crude Scorpion venom showed widespread cytotoxicity against hormone receptor-positive, triple-negative, and HER2-positive breast cancer subtypes. Major mechanisms included apoptosis induction, DNA fragmentation, oxidative stress regulation, and cell cycle regulation. Bioactive proteins such as chlorotoxin (CTX) and neopradin 1/2 showed selective anticancer effects by targeting signaling pathways, inhibiting migration and invasion, and promoting apoptosis.

Conclusion: These findings support the potential of Scorpion Venom as a multi-target anticancer drug. The complementary effects of crude toxins and their proteins underscore their commitment to combination therapy. Further research is needed to clarify synergistic interactions and optimize preclinical and clinical applications.