Nobiletin inhibits invasion and migration of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines by involving ERK1/2 and transcriptional inhibition of MMP-2

Objective: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is known for its high incidence of neck lymph node metastasis, which represents poor prognosis. Nobiletin is a citrus polymethoxyflavonoid that suppresses tumor growth and metastasis, both of which depend on angiogenesis in previous studies. However, the effect of Nobiletin on human NPC cells metastasis has not been clearly clarified.Research design and methods: In this study, we determine the effects of Nobiletin on the migration and invasion in NPC cells.Results: Nobiletin significantly inhibited migration/invasion capacities of HONE-1 and NPC-BM cell lines. The results of gelatin zymography and western blotting revealed that the activities and protein levels of the MMP-2 were inhibited by Nobiletin. Nobiletin also showed that inhibits phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Tests of the real-time PCR and promoter assays evaluated the inhibitory effects of Nobiletin on MMP-2 expression in human NPC cells. Nobiletin inhibits MMP-2 expression, up-regulating tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 and down-regulation of the transcription factors of NF-κB and activator protein 1 (AP-1) signaling pathways. Finally, an administration of Nobiletin effectively suppressed the tumor formation and metastasis in the NPC xenograft model in vivo.Conclusions: Nobiletin may have potential use as a chemo-preventive agent against nasopharyngeal cancer metastasis.