Paeoniflorin inhibited the tumor invasion and metastasis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

OBJECTIVE

Evidence suggests that paeoniflorin may be involved in anticancer activities. Here, we have investigated the effects of paeoniflorin and correlative mechanisms on anti-invasion and anti-metastasis in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In the current study, we have applied 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay to determine the proliferative effect of HepG2 and Bel-7402, two human hepatoma cell lines, and we have established a boyden chamber assay, a wound healing assay and cell adhesion assay to detect and quantify the invasion, metastasis and adhesion of both HepG2 and Bel-7402. In addition, we have analyzed the protein expression of matrix metalloproteinas (MMP)-9, E-cadherin (E-cad) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in both cell lines through western blot analysis.

RESULTS

Paeoniflorin (6. 25-200 µM) had inhibitory effect on the growth of HepG2 and Bel-7402 cell lines, and reduced significantly invasion, metastasis and adhesion of HCC cell lines. In addition, paeoniflorin decreased the expression of MMP-9 and ERK in HepG2 and Bel-7402 cells, and increased expression of E-cad in both cell lines.

CONCLUSIONS

Paeoniflorin is effective anti-metastatic and anti-invasive agent for suppressing HCC invasion and metastasis (Fig. 5, Ref. 30).