Hispolon inhibits breast cancer cell migration by reversal of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition via suppressing the ROS/ERK/Slug/E-cadherin pathway

Abstract

Hispolon has been shown to have anticancer effects on various tumors. However, whether hispolon exerts antimigration activity in breast cancer cells and the underlying mechanisms, have not been elucidated yet. In the present study our data demonstrated that hispolon inhibited TPA-induced breast cancer MCF-7 cell migration at sub-toxic concentrations in vitro. Hispolon decreased the level of cellular ROS significantly and repressed TPA-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), accompanied by upregulation of E-cadherin and downregulation of the transcriptional repressor Slug. Furthermore, N-acetyl-cysteine an antioxidant agent, markedly suppressed TPA-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, cell migration and activation of ERK. Taken together, our results indicated that hispolon suppressed the migration of breast cancer cells via suppressing the ROS/ERK/Slug/E cadherin pathway. Hispolon may be developed as a potential antimetastasis agent to breast cancer.