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Bufalin inhibits migration and invasion in human hepatocellular carcinoma SK‐Hep1 cells through the inhibitions of NF‐kB and matrix metalloproteinase‐2/‐9‐signaling pathways
Author(s) -
Chen YaYin,
Lu HsuFeng,
Hsu ShuChun,
Kuo ChaoLin,
Chang ShuJen,
Lin JenJyh,
Wu PingPing,
Liu JiaYou,
Lee ChingHsiao,
Chung JingGung,
Chang JinBiou
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
environmental toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.813
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1522-7278
pISSN - 1520-4081
DOI - 10.1002/tox.21896
Subject(s) - bufalin , protein kinase b , matrix metalloproteinase , cancer research , pi3k/akt/mtor pathway , metastasis , phosphorylation , cancer , cell growth , cancer cell , signal transduction , biology , chemistry , medicine , endocrinology , apoptosis , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry
Metastasis plays an important role in mortality of cancer patients. Migration and invasion are the major characteristics of tumor metastasis. The induction of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) such as MMP‐2 and ‐9 are particularly important for the invasiveness of various cancer cells. Bufalin, a class of toxic steroids, was purified from the skin glands of Bufo gargarizans or Bufo melanostictus ; it is known to inhibit proliferation of human cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the antiinvasive mechanisms of bufalin in the human hepatocellular cancer cell line SK‐Hep1. Bufalin significantly reduced serum‐induced cell invasion and migration. Furthermore, bufalin markedly inhibited MMP‐2 and ‐9 activity, mRNA expression and protein levels in SK‐Hep1 cells. Bufalin attenuated phosphoinisitide‐3‐kinase (PI3K) and phosphorylation of AKT which was associated with reduced levels of nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB). Bufalin also suppressed protein levels of FAK and Rho A, VEGF, MEKK3, MKK7, and uPA and it diminished NF‐κB translocation. Based on these observations, we propose that bufalin is acts as an antiinvasive agent by inhibiting MMP‐2 and ‐9 and involving PI3K/AKT and NF‐κB pathways. Bufalin is a potential therapeutic agent that may have efficacy in preventing the invasion and metastasis of malignant liver tumors. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 30: 74–82, 2015.