Glaucine inhibits breast cancer cell migration and invasion by inhibiting MMP-9 gene expression through the suppression of NF-jB activation

Abstract Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) plays a central role in the invasion and metastasis of various types of cancer cells. Here, we demonstrate that glaucine, an al-kaloid isolated from the plant Corydalis turtschaninovii tuber (Papaveraceae), can inhibit the migration and invasion of human breast cancer cells. We further show that glaucine significantly blocks phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced MMP-9 expression and activity in a dose-dependent manner. Results from reporter gene and elec-trophoretic mobility shift assays revealed that glaucine in-hibits MMP-9 expression by suppressing activation of the nuclear transcription factor nuclear factor-jB (NF-jB). Moreover, glaucine attenuates PMA-induced IjBa degra-dation and nuclear translocation of NF-jB. Finally, we also found that glaucine inhibits invasion and MMP-9 expres-sion in the highly metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. Taken together, our findings indicate that the MMP-9 inhibitory activity of glaucine and its abilities to attenuate IjBa and NF-jB activities may be therapeutically useful as a novel means of controlling breast cancer growth and invasiveness