Abstract.Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound, which has been revealed to induce apoptosis in numerous human cancer cells; however, the effects of resveratrol on the migration and invasion of human bladder cancer cells have not been reported. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-metastatic potential of resveratrol against bladder cancer and its mechanism of action. The results indicated that resveratrol inhibits the adhesion, migration and invasion of bladder cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Resveratrol was shown to significantly inhibit the expression and secretion of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 in bladder cancer cells. Furthermore, resveratrol suppressed the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase. In conclusion, the present study is the first, to the best of our knowledge, to demonstrate that resveratrol may be considered a novel anticancer agent for the treatment of bladder cancer via the inhibition of migration and invasion.
IntroductionBladder cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer, and was the cause of >11,510 cases of cancer-associated mortality among men in the USA in 2014 (1). The majority of bladder cancer cases are noninvasive, low-grade transitional cell carcinoma (TCC); however, â¤30% of all diagnosed tumors are classified as invasive TCC, which is associated with high mortality (2). Notably, among all of the various types of cancer, bladder cancer exhibits a significantly high incidence of recurrence post-treatment, and therefore is recognized as the most expensive cancer to treat. Due to the high prevalence and frequent tumor recurrence associated with bladder cancer, the exploration of preventative strategies is required.Previous epidemiological and scientific studies have indicated that plant-derived phytochemicals may be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of cancer (3-5). Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound, which is present in grapes (red wine), knotweed, peanuts, mulberries and other plants. Numerous studies have suggested that resveratrol may prevent the progression of various pathologies, including vascular diseases, ischemic injuries, cancer and neurodegenerative disorders (6-8). Furthermore, it has previously been confirmed that resveratrol exerts antiproliferative and/or apoptotic effects on leukemia, prostate, breast and colon cancers cells in vitro (9-12). Previous studies regarding the anticancer effects of resveratrol have focused on its anti-invasive and anti-metastatic activities (13-15). However, to the best of our knowledge, there is currently no evidence as to whether resveratrol may inhibit the migration and invasion of human bladder cancer cells.Metastasis is one of the hallmarks of advanced cancer progression, and cancer cell migration and invasion are crucial events in bladder cancer metastasis. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), including MMP-2 and MMP-9, degrade the basement membrane and extracellular matrix (ECM), and are therefore considered crucial proteolytic protei...