Antimetastatic Effects of Licochalcone B on Human Bladder Carcinoma T24 by Inhibition of Matrix Metalloproteinases-9 and NF-κB Activity

Abstract

This study investigated the mechanisms by which licochalcone B (LCB) inhibits the adhesion,invasion and metastasis of human malignant bladder cancer T24 cells. Cell viability was evaluated using a sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. Cell migration and invasion ability were conducted using wound-healing assay and matrigel transwell invasion assay. The activities of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 were measured by gelatin zymography protease assays. The expression in protein level of NF-κBP65 and AP-1 was determined using the ELISA method; the protein levels of MMP-9, NF-κBP65, IκBα and P-IκBα were detected by Western blot. The expression in mRNA level of MMP-9 was assessed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription PCR. The results indicated that LCB attenuated T24 cell migration, adhesion and invasion in a concentration-dependent manner. LCB treatment down-regulated the mRNA expression, protein expression and activity of MMP-9 but had no effect on MMP-2. In addition, LCB treatment decreased the protein level of NF-kκBP65 and nuclear translocation of NF-kκB. These findings suggested that LCB attenuated migration of bladder cancer T24 cells and adhesion and invasion accompanied with down-regulated protein expression of MMP-9 and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB. Our results provide support that LCB may be a potent adjuvant therapeutic agent in the prevention and therapy of bladder cancer.