Antimetastatic Effects of Sesamin on Human Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma through Regulation of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2

• Main Authors: Jian-Ming Chen, Pei-Yin Chen, Chia-Chieh Lin, Ming-Chang Hsieh, Jen-Tsun Lin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-05-01
• Series: Molecules
• Subjects: sesamin; human head and neck squamous carcinoma; MMP-2; migration; invasion; MAPK
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/9/2248

Background: Sesamin is a lignin present in sesame oil from the bark of <i>Zanthoxylum</i> spp. Sesamin reportedly has anticarcinogenic potential and exerts anti-inflammatory effects on several tumors. Hypothesis/Purpose: However, the effect of sesamin on metastatic progression in human head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) remains unknown in vitro and in vivo; hence, we investigated the effect of sesamin on HNSCC cells in vitro. Methods and Results: Sesamin-treated human oral cancer cell lines FaDu, HSC-3, and Ca9-22 were subjected to a wound-healing assay. Furthermore, Western blotting was performed to assess the effect of sesamin on the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and proteins of the MAPK signaling pathway, including p-ERK1/2, P-p38, and p-JNK1/2. In addition, we investigated the association between MMP-2 expression and the MAPK pathway in sesamin-treated oral cancer cells. Sesamin inhibited cell migration and invasion in FaDu, Ca9-22, and HSC-3 cells and suppressed MMP-2 at noncytotoxic concentrations (0 to 40 μM). Furthermore, sesamin significantly reduced p38 MAPK and JNK phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner in FaDu and HSC-3 cells. Conclusions: These results indicate that sesamin suppresses the migration and invasion of HNSCC cells by regulating MMP-2 and is thus a potential antimetastatic agent for treating HNSCC.