Berberine inhibits the invasion and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells through Ezrin phosphorylation.

Abstract

To determine the molecular mechanism of berberine (BBR) inhibiting the metastasis and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma 5-8F cells, and identify whether berberine suppresses the tumor-invasive action through inhibiting Ezrin or phosphate-Ezrin.
The non-cytotoxic concentration of berberine was detected by MTT assay. Filopodia formation of 5-8F cells was observed by electron microscope. The invasion and motility of 5-8F cells with berberine treatment were measured with Trans-well assay. Western blot was used to investigate the Ezrin and phos-Ezrin expression in 5-8F cells treated by berberine. pcDNA3.1-Ezrin and pcDNA3.1-Ezrin M were transfected into 6-10B cells. The inhibitory effect of berberine on the motility and invasion of 6-10B-pcDNA3.1-Ezrin and 6-10B-pcDNA3.1-Ezrin M was detected, respectively.
Berberine non-cytotoxic concentration was 0-40 μmol/L. After being treated by berberine, filopodia of 5-8F cells obviously reduced, and the permeating artificial basement membrane cells largely decreased in both time- and concentration-dependent manner. There was significant difference compared with the control group (P<0.05). Berberine suppressed the phos-Ezrin expression of 5-8F cells in both time- and concentration-dependent manner (P<0.05), but the effect of berberine was weaker on 6-10B-pcDNA3.1-Ezrin M than on 6-10B-pcDNA3.1-Ezrin.
Berberine inhibits nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell invasion through inhibiting phos-Ezrin expression and filopodia formation.