Curcumin analog UBS109 prevents bone marrow osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis disordered by coculture with breast cancer MDA-MB-231 bone metastatic cells in vitro.

UBS109 is a curcumin analog that possesses antitumor properties has been shown to stimulate osteoblastogenesis and suppress osteoclastogenesis in vitro. This study was undertaken to determine whether UBS109 might alleviate the inhibitory activity of breast cancer cells on osteoblastic mineralization and stimulatory effects on osteoclastogenesis. Mouse bone marrow cells were cocultured with breast cancer MDA-MB-231 bone metastatic cells in vitro. UBS109 stimulated osteoblastic mineralization and suppressed adipogenesis and osteoclastogenesis in bone marrow culture. Coculture with MDA-MB-231 cells suppressed osteoblastic mineralization and enhanced osteoclastogenesis in bone marrow culture. Effects that were reserved by UBS109 (50-200 nM). Mineralization in preosteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells was suppressed by coculture with MDA-MB-231 cells, while MDA-MB-231 cells did not have effects on osteoclastogenesis of RAW267.4 cells in vitro. UBS109 (500 nM) revealed toxic effects on MDA-MB-231 bone metastatic cells. This study demonstrates that UBS109, which is an antitumor agent, reveals restorative effects on bone marrow cell differentiation disordered by coculture with breast cancer MDA-MB-231 bone metastatic cells in vitro. This in vitro model may be a useful tool to evaluate the mechanism of breast cancer cell bone metastasis.