This study is the first to investigate the antimetastatic effect of fisetin in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. Fisetin exhibited an inhibitory effect on the abilities of adhesion, migration, and invasion via inhibiting the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) and downregulating the expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) at both the protein and mRNA levels in A549 cells. Next, fisetin significantly decreased the nuclear levels of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB), c-Fos, and c-Jun. Also, treating A549 cells with fisetin also leads to a concentration-dependent inhibition on the binding abilities of NF-kappaB and activator protein-1 (AP-1). Furthermore, reduction of ERK1/2 phosphorylation by ERK small interfering RNA (ERK siRNA) potentiated the effect of fisetin, supporting the inhibition of ERK1/2 being beneficial to antimetastasis. Finally, the transient transfection of ERK siRNA significantly downregulated the expressions of MMP-2 and u-PA concomitantly with a marked inhibition of cell invasion and migration. Taken together, these results implied a critical role for ERK1/2 inhibition in fisetin-reduced invasion and migration of A549 cells.

Nobiletin, a compound isolated from citrus fruits, is a polymethoxylated flavone derivative shown to have anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and neuroprotective properties. This study has investigated that nobiletin exerted inhibitory effects on the cell adhesion, invasion, and migration abilities of a highly metastatic AGS cells under non-cytotoxic concentrations. Data also showed nobiletin could inhibit the activation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and phosphoinositide-3-kinase/Akt (PI3K/Akt) involved in the downregulation of the enzyme activities, protein expressions, messenger RNA levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-9). Also, our data revealed that nobiletin inhibited FAK/PI3K/Akt with concurrent reduction in the protein expressions of Ras, c-Raf, Rac-1, Cdc42, and RhoA by western blotting, whereas the protein level of RhoB increased progressively. Otherwise, nobiletin-treated AGS cells showed tremendously decreased in the phosphorylation and degradation of inhibitor of kappaBα (IκBα), the nuclear level of NF-κB, and the binding ability of NF-κB to NF-κB response element. Furthermore, nobiletin significantly decreased the levels of phospho-Akt and MMP-2/9 in Akt1-cDNA-transfected cells concomitantly with a marked reduction in cell invasion and migration. These results suggest that nobiletin can reduce invasion and migration of AGS cells, and such a characteristic may be of great value in the development of a potential cancer therapy.

No abstract

This study first investigates the anti-metastatic effect of alpha-mangostin on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expressions in human breast adenocarcinoma cells, MCF-7. First, the result demonstrated alpha-mangostin could inhibit TPA-induced abilities of the adhesion, invasion, and migration by cell-matrix adhesion assay and Boyden chamber assay. Data also showed alpha-mangostin could inhibit the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) involved in the downregulation the enzyme activities, protein, and messenger RNA levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 induced by TPA. Next, alpha-mangostin also strongly inhibited TPA-induced degradation of inhibitor of kappaBalpha (IkappaBalpha) and the nuclear levels of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB), c-Fos, and c-Jun. Also, a dose-dependent inhibition on the binding abilities of NF-kappaB and activator protein-1 (AP-1) by alpha-mangostin treatment was further observed. Further, the treatment of specific inhibitor for ERK (U0126) to MCF-7 cells could inhibit TPA-induced MMP-2 and MMP-9 expressions along with an inhibition on cell invasion and migration. Presented data reveal that alpha-mangostin is a novel, effective, antimetastatic agent that functions by downregulating MMP-2 and MMP-9 gene expressions.

We report the rare occurrence of herpes zoster reactivation after facial trauma. Herpes zoster appeared in painful groups of distended vesicles containing clear fluid on an erythematous base within the secondary division of the trigeminal nerve. The patient was treated with acyclovir (intravenous, 250 mg, every 8 hours) combined with topical steroids and anti-neuropathic pain medication. The zoster-associated neuralgia subsided gradually 1.5 months after diagnosis. We illustrate this unique case to highlight the fact that reactivation of the varicella zoster virus from childhood chicken pox can reappear at a traumatic site in late adulthood.