Resveratrol suppresses human hepatocellular carcinoma via targeting HGF-c-Met signaling pathway.

Resveratrol, one of the major polyphenols found in red wine, is suggested to have a role as a chemo-prevention or chemotherapy agent in various human cancer models. Herein, we report that resveratrol has a profound antitumor effect on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells by down-regulation of the HGF-c-Met signaling pathway. Resveratrol inhibited anchorage-dependent and -independent growth of HCC cells in a dose-dependent manner. Short-term resveratrol exposure substantially decreased HGF-induced c-Met signaling pathway activation, and long-term exposure to resveratrol markedly inhibited c-Met expression on the cell membrane. Additionally, resveratrol suppressed HGF-induced cell invasion, and knockdown of c-Met decreased the sensitivity of HCC cells to resveratrol treatment. Finally, the antitumor activity of resveratrol was validated in xenograft model and resveratrol prominently restrained tumor growth in vivo. In summary, our results suggested that c-Met offers a candidate molecular target for hepatocellular carcinoma management.