Transcriptomic profile and gene expression of human breast cancer cell lines treated with herbal extract of clinacanthus nutans leaves

Clinacanthus nutans (CN) is traditionally used in medicine, but its apoptotic effects on breast cancer cells remain unclear. This study investigated the apoptotic potential of CN dichloromethane leaf extract (CNDCM) in MCF-7 cells using RNA-Seq analysis. Differential gene expression analysis identified 843 genes, with 395 upregulated and 448 downregulated. Gene ontology and KEGG pathway analyses revealed apoptosis-related pathways. Key apoptosis-associated genes, including ALDH3A1, CYP1A1, NOS3, MT1X, and CES1, were further validated by RT-qPCR. These findings suggest CNDCM as a potential candidate for breast cancer therapy.