JNP3, a new compound, suppresses PMA-induced tumor cell invasion via NF-κB down regulation in MCF-7 breast cancer cells

PI3K/AKT/mTORC1 signalling pathway regulates MMP9 gene activation via transcription factor NF-κB in mammary epithelial cells of dairy cows

Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) plays a pivotal role in mammary ductal morphogenesis, angiogenesis and glandular tissue architecture remodeling. However, the molecular mechanism of MMP9 expression in mammary epithelial cells of dairy cows remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the underlying mechanism of MMP9 expression. In this study, to determine whether the PI3K/AKT/mTORC1/NF-κB signalling pathway participates in the regulation of MMP9 expression, we treated mammary epithelial cells with specific pharmacological inhibitors of PI3K (LY294002), mTORC1 (Rapamycin) or NF-κB (Celastrol), respectively. Western blotting results indicated that LY294002, Rapamycin and Celastrol markedly decreased MMP9 expression and P65 nuclear translocation. Furthermore, we found that NF-κB (P65) overexpression resulted in elevated expression of MMP9 protein and activation of MMP9 promoter. In addition, we observed that Celastrol markedly decreases P65-overexpression-induced MMP9 promoter activity. Moreover, the results of the promoter assay indicated that the core regulation sequence for MMP9 promoter activation may be located at -420 ∼ -80 bp downstream from the transcription start site. These observations indicated that the PI3K/AKT/mTORC1 signalling pathway is involved in MMP9 expression by regulating MMP9 promoter activity via NF-κB in the mammary epithelial cells of dairy cows.

Casticin inhibits breast cancer cell migration and invasion by down-regulation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Casticin is one of the major active components isolated from Fructus viticis Increasing studies have revealed that casticin has potential anticancer activity in various cancer cells, but its effects on breast cancer cell migration and invasion are still not well known. Therefore, the ability of cell migration and invasion in the breast cancer MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells treated by casticin was investigated. The results indicated that casticin significantly inhibited cell migration and invasion in the cells exposed to 0.25 and 0.50 µM of casticin for 24 h. Casticin treatment reduced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 9 (MMP-9) activity and down-regulated MMP-9 mRNA and protein expression, but not MMP-2. Casticin treatment suppressed the nuclear translocation of transcription factors c-Jun and c-Fos, but not nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and decreased the phosphorylated level of Akt (p-Akt). Additionally, the transfection of Akt overexpression vector to MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells could up-regulate MMP-9 expression concomitantly with a marked increase in cell invasion, but casticin treatment reduced Akt, p-Akt, and MMP-9 protein levels and inhibited the ability of cell invasion in breast cancer cells. Additionally, casticin attenuated lung metastasis of mouse 4T1 breast cancer cells in the mice and down-regulated MMP-9 expression in the lung tissues of mice treated by casticin. These findings suggest that MMP-9 expression suppression by casticin may act through inhibition of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway, which in turn results in the inhibitory effects of casticin on cell migration and invasion in breast cancer cells. Therefore, casticin may have potential for use in the treatment of breast cancer invasion and metastasis.

Inhibition of EGF-induced migration and invasion by sulfated polysaccharide of Sepiella maindroni ink via the suppression of EGFR/Akt/p38 MAPK/MMP-2 signaling pathway in KB cells

SIP-SII, the sulfated Sepiella maindroni ink polysaccharide (SIP), has been manifested to possess anti-tumor and anti-metastasis activity in vivo and in vitro. In the present study, we evaluated its inhibitory effect on the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced migration and invasion of human epidermoid carcinoma cell (KB cell line) as well as the related signaling pathways. The results of MTT assay indicated that SIP-SII inhibited the proliferation of KB cells in a concentration and time dependent manner. Notably, the attenuation of cell growth by SIP-SII was enlarged in the presence of EGF. The wound healing assay and transwell invasion assay were used to evaluate the effect of SIP-SII on the EGF-induced migration and invasion of KB cells and the results showed that SIP-SII markedly attenuated the EGF-induced migration and invasion. Besides, the EGF-induced matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expression was also suppressed by SIP-SII. However, SIP-SII showed no significant inhibition of the EGF-induced matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression. Further research revealed that SIP-SII decreased the EGF-induced phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), Akt and p38, but no significant suppression on EGF-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (Erk1/2) and c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) by SIP-SII treatment was observed. The involvement of EGFR/Akt/p38 pathway was confirmed by evidence that SIP-SII would enlarge the inhibitory effect of the specific signal pathway inhibitors. These results indicate that SIP-SII has the potential to be used as the inhibitor of tumor metastasis especially for cancers characterized by over-activation of EGF/EGFR signaling.

Oldenlandia diffusa suppresses metastatic potential through inhibiting matrix metalloproteinase-9 and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression via p38 and ERK1/2 MAPK pathways and induces apoptosis in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY RELEVANCE

Oldenlandia diffusa (OD) has long been known as an apoptotic inducer in breast tumors in ethnomedicine.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To scientifically confirm the anti-breast cancer effects of water, methanol (MeOH) and butanol (BuOH) extracts of O. diffusa on cell apoptosis, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 and intracellular signaling in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

MeOH extracts (MOD) and BuOH extracts (BOD) were prepared and examined for their ability to inhibit phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-induced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 expressions in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Additionally, transwell migration, invasion and transcriptional activity were assessed. Results of immunofluorescence confocal microscopy for translocation of NF-κB and p-ERK and p-p38 were also checked. Finally, apoptotic signals including processed caspase-8, caspase-7, poly ADP-ribose polymerase, Bax and Bcl-2 were examined.

RESULTS

MOD and BOD specifically inhibited PMA-induced MMP-9 expression as well as invasive and migration potential via ICAM-1. The inhibitory activity was also based on the suppressed transcriptional activity in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Results of immunofluorescence confocal microscopy showed that translocation of NF-κB decreased upon BOD and MOD treatments, with a decreased level of p-ERK and p-p38 phosphorylation. In addition, treatment of MCF-7 cells with MOD and BOD activated apoptosis-linked proteins including enzymatically active forms of processed caspase-8, caspase-7 and poly ADP-ribose polymerase, together with increased expression of mitochondrial apoptotic protein, Bax and decreased expression of Bcl-2.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that OD as an anti-metastatic agent suppresses the metastatic response by targeting p-ERK, p-38 and NF-κB, thus reducing the invasion capacity of MCF-7 breast cancer cells through inhibition of MMP-9 and ICAM-1 expression and plays an important role in the regulation of breast cancer cell apoptosis.

Luteolin 8-C-β-fucopyranoside inhibits invasion and suppresses TPA-induced MMP-9 and IL-8 via ERK/AP-1 and ERK/NF-κB signaling in MCF-7 breast cancer cells

Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) play major roles in tumor progression and invasion of breast cancer cells. The present study was undertaken to investigate the inhibitory mechanism of cell invasion by luteolin 8-C-β-fucopyranoside (named as LU8C-FP), a C-glycosylflavone, in human breast cancer cells. We investigated whether LU8C-FP would inhibit MMP-9 activation and IL-8 expression in 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-treated MCF-7 breast cancer cells. LU8C-FP suppressed TPA-induced MMP-9 and IL-8 secretion and mRNA expression via inhibition of the MAPK signaling pathway and down-regulation of nuclear AP-1 and NF-κB. TPA-induced phosphorylation of ERK 1/2 was suppressed by LU8C-FP, whereas JNK and p38 MAPK phosphorylation were unaffected. In addition, LU8C-FP blocked the ERK 1/2 pathways following expression of MMP-9 and IL-8. These results suggest LU8C-FP may function to suppress invasion of breast cancer cells through the ERK/AP-1 and ERK/NF-κB signaling cascades.

Andrographolide inhibits the activation of NF-κB and MMP-9 activity in H3255 lung cancer cells

This study aimed to determine the effect of andrographolide (AD) on the growth of H3255 lung cancer cells and its possible impact on the expression and activity of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 protein. H3255 cells were cultured in vitro, and treated with AD (1, 5 or 10 μM) for 24, 48 or 72 h. Cell proliferation was detected using an MTT assay and the expression of MMP-9 mRNA was measured using a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The activity of MMP-9 was assessed by gelatin zymography, while the nuclear translocation of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 subunit and the phosphorylation of IκB were determined by western blotting. AD inhibited the proliferation of the H3255 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, in addition to downregulating the expression of MMP-9 mRNA and the activity of MMP-9. Moreover, AD significantly inhibited the nuclear translocation of the NF-κB p65 subunit and suppressed IκB phosphorylation. The significant inhibition of H3255 cell proliferation by AD may have been correlated with the reduction in MMP-9 expression and activity through the inhibition of the phosphorylation of IκB and the translocation of NF-κB. The results suggest that AD is a promising drug candidate for the treatment of the migration and invasion of malignant tumors.