Inhibitory effects of Leucaena leucocephala on the metastasis and invasion of human oral cancer cells.
Oral cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and metastasis is recognized as a major factor causing its low survival rate. The inhibition of metastasis progress and the improvement of the survival rate for oral cancer are critical research objectives. Leucaena leucocephala from the mimosa branch Leucaena genus is native to Central and South America and has been used as a traditional remedy for treating various disorders. Previous studies have demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory as well as anticancer properties of L. leucocephala plant materials. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the anticancer effect induced by L. leucocephala remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of L. leucocephala extract (LLE) on SCC-9 and SAS oral cancer cells and examined the potential inhibitory mechanisms involved. The results indicated that LLE attenuated the migration and invasion abilities of both SCC-9 and SAS cells by reducing the activity and protein expression of matrix metalloproteinases-2 (MMP-2). Regarding mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38 exhibited a significant inhibitory effect in the presence of LLE. The application of ERK inhibitor and p38 inhibitor confirmed that both signalling transduction pathways were involved in the inhibition of cell metastasis. These data indicate that L. leucocephala could be a potent therapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of oral cancer and a prominent plant source for anticancer research in the future.
Department of Horticulture, National Ilan University, Yilan, Taiwan.
Hsiao-Hang
HH
Chung
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.|Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Mu-Kuan
MK
Chen
School of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.|Department of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Yu-Chao
YC
Chang
Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.|Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Shun-Fa
SF
Yang
Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Chia-Chieh
CC
Lin
Department of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.|Institute of Oral Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Chiao-Wen
CW
Lin
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects*; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; C535150:MAPK1 protein, human; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; C522361:MMP2 protein, human; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9
Leucaena leucocephala; MMP-2; migration; oral cancer