Crude extracts of Euchresta formosana radix inhibit invasion and migration of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Anticancer Res. 2007 Jul-Aug;27(4B):2377-84.

Abstract

Crude extracts of Euchresta formosana radix (EFR) have previously been observed to induce the suppression of liver cancer Hep3B cell growth and induce apoptosis in response to overexpression of reactive oxygen species, GADD153, Bax and caspase-3, and to decrease the levels of mitochondrial membrane potential in vitro. In this study, the effect of EFR on cell migration and invasion by the human liver hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line Hep3B was examined. Hep3B cells treated in vitro with EFR migrated and invaded less than cells treated with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as a control. EFR inhibited migration and invasion by down-regulating the production of RhoA and ROCK1, FAK, and matrix metalloproteinase-1, -2, -9 and -10 relative to PBS only. These results show that EFR inhibits invasion and migration by liver cancer cells by down-regulating proteins associated with these processes, resulting in reduced metastasis. Thus, EFR should be considered as a possible therapeutic agent for inhibiting primary tumor growth and preventing metastasis.

MeSH terms

  • Blotting, Western
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology
  • Cell Adhesion / drug effects
  • Cell Lineage
  • Cell Movement / drug effects*
  • Fabaceae / chemistry*
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • rho-Associated Kinases
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Plant Extracts
  • RHOA protein, human
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • ROCK1 protein, human
  • rho-Associated Kinases
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein