Matrine inhibiting pancreatic cells epithelial-mesenchymal transition and invasion through ROS/NF-κB/MMPs pathway.

Aims: Matrine has demonstrated an exclusive anti-tumor effect, including inhibiting cancer cells proliferation and inducing cancer cells apoptosis and autophagy. Whether it can inhibit cancer cells invasion is remain obscure.

Main Methods: The Panc-1 cells were cultured with matrine, NAC and methanol, wound healing assay and transwell invasion assay were applied to detect the migration and invasion ability. The expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were assessed, as well as the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition marker. Further detect the expression of pP65, total P65, pIκBα, total IκBα, MMP-2, MMP-9 and Panc-1 cells migration and invasion ability to detect whether NF-κB signaling pathway is involved.

Key Findings: In matrine treated group, the expression of E-cadherin was up-regulated while N-cadherin, Vimentin was down-regulated. In addition, wound healing assay and transwell invasion assay showed that the cells treated with matrine expressed weaker migration and invasion ability, and MMP-2 and MMP-9 was down-regulated in matrine treated group. Further research reveals that the effect of Matrine could decreased the level of intracellular ROS. Furthermore, pP65, pIκBα level was down-regulated in the matrine and NAC group when compared to control group. The panc-1 cells showed less migration and invasion ability, as well as lower MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression in the group treated with NF-κBI along with HO when compared with treated with HO only.

Significance: Matrine inhibit pancreatic cancer cells migration and invasion through ROS/NF-κB/MMPs pathway, further validate the anticancer effect of matrine.