Epigallocatechin-3-gallate inhibits migration of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by repressing MMP-2 expression

Metastasis of the cancer cells to the regional lymph nodes parts of the body remains an important cause of treatment failure in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the most important ingredient in the green tea, has been reported to possess antioxidant and anticancer activities. However, the effects of EGCG on NPC cell metastasis are still unclear. In the present study, we examined the in vitro antimetastatic properties of EGCG on human NPC cells, NPC-39, HONE-1 and NPC-BM. The results revealed that EGCG considerably inhibited the migration abilities of three NPC cells. The matrix metalloproteinases-2 (MMP-2) activity and expression were also significantly inhibited by EGCG treatment. Furthermore, EGCG suppressed the phosphorylation of the Src signaling pathway. Moreover, blocking the Src pathway also inhibits MMP-2 expression and migration in the NPC cells. In conclusion, this study revealed that EGCG could inhibit the metastatic activity of human NPC cells by downregulating the protein expression of MMP-2 through modulation of the Src signaling pathway, suggesting that EGCG may be a potential candidate for chemoprevention of NPC.