title: Berberine inhibits the invasion and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells through Ezrin phosphorylation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the molecular mechanism of berberine (BBR) inhibiting the metastasis and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma 5-8F cells, and identify whether berberine suppresses the tumor-invasive action through inhibiting Ezrin or phosphate-Ezrin.
  
  
  METHODS
  The non-cytotoxic concentration of berberine was detected by MTT assay. Filopodia formation of 5-8F cells was observed by electron microscope. The invasion and motility of 5-8F cells with berberine treatment were measured with Trans-well assay. Western blot was used to investigate the Ezrin and phos-Ezrin expression in 5-8F cells treated by berberine. pcDNA3.1-Ezrin and pcDNA3.1-Ezrin M were transfected into 6-10B cells. The inhibitory effect of berberine on the motility and invasion of 6-10B-pcDNA3.1-Ezrin and 6-10B-pcDNA3.1-Ezrin M was detected, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Berberine non-cytotoxic concentration was 0-40 μmol/L. After being treated by berberine, filopodia of 5-8F cells obviously reduced, and the permeating artificial basement membrane cells largely decreased in both time- and concentration-dependent manner. There was significant difference compared with the control group (P<0.05). Berberine suppressed the phos-Ezrin expression of 5-8F cells in both time- and concentration-dependent manner (P<0.05), but the effect of berberine was weaker on 6-10B-pcDNA3.1-Ezrin M than on 6-10B-pcDNA3.1-Ezrin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Berberine inhibits nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell invasion through inhibiting phos-Ezrin expression and filopodia formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
authors.forename: Damao
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chunlei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Faqing
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology; D001599:Berberine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D000099149:Ezrin
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D001599:Berberine; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D000099149:Ezrin