Caffeic acid phenethyl ester inhibits invasion and expression of matrix metalloproteinase in SK-Hep1 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells by targeting nuclear factor kappa B

• DOI: 10.1007/s12263-007-0067-9
• Publication Date: 2007-11-15T10:30:46Z
• Authors: Ki Won Lee; Nam Joo Kang; Jong Hun Kim; Kyoung Mi Lee; Dong Eun Lee; Haeng Jeon Hur; Hyong Joo Lee
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences

Numerous studies have shown that the levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and/or MMP-9 are associated with the invasive phenotypes of cancer cells. This study investigated the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), a chemopreventive phytochemical derived from honeybee propolis, on the invasive phenotype of SK-Hep1 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (SK-Hep1 cells). CAPE effectively suppressed SK-Hep1 cell invasion in a dose-dependent manner. The constitutive expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in SK-Hep1 cells was almost completely abolished by treatment with 12.5 muM CAPE. CAPE also significantly inhibited nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) DNA-binding activity in SK-Hep1 cells. These results taken together suggest that CAPE exerts antimetastatic potential through inhibition of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression, possibly by targeting NF-kappaB in hepatocellular carcinoma.