Although 70% of patients with estrogen receptor‑positive breast cancer benefit from tamoxifen (TAM) therapy, the development of resistance to TAM leads to high rates of metastasis and a poor prognosis. Propofol, a commonly used anesthetic, can inhibit the occurrence and progression of breast cancer. In the present study, the effects of propofol on TAM‑resistant (TR) breast cancer cells were evaluated. MCF7‑TR cells were treated with or without propofol. Subsequently, cell cycle progression and the induction of apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry, whereas cell proliferation was assessed using Cell Counting Kit‑8 and colony formation assays. Furthermore, the potential transcriptional regulatory effects of propofol on MCF7‑TR cells were investigated using RNA sequencing. The results indicated that propofol significantly promoted cell cycle arrest, induced apoptosis, and inhibited proliferation and colony formation in MCF7‑TR cells. Furthermore, transcriptome sequencing analysis revealed 1,065 differentially expressed genes between propofol‑treated MCF7‑TR and untreated MCF7‑TR cells. Gene Ontology annotation enrichment analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis indicated that propofol affected the expression levels of genes located on the ‘plasma membrane’ and ‘cell periphery’, while mainly regulating signals involved in cancer biology, immune response and metabolic pathways. These results identified the potential effects of propofol on TR breast cancer cells and provided a theoretical basis for clinical treatment, particularly for individuals with TAM resistance.

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