Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) is a dietary bioactive compound that is derived from the roots of licorice and various other plants. Accumulating evidence suggests that ISL has noteworthy anticancer activity in a variety of cancer cells, but it is currently unknown how ISL affects the invasion and migration of breast cancer (BC) cells. Hence, the purpose of this study to determine the inhibitory effect of ISL on cell invasion, migration, and metastasis of BC cells in 4T1-treated lung metastatic animal models. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE: ISL was found to inhibit BC lung metastasis, as confirmed by MTT assay, clonogenic assay, wound healing assay, transwell assay, histological analysis, Western blot and bioluminescence assay in the xenograft model. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The in vitro studies revealed that ISL treatment significantly prevented BC cell invasion and migration for 24 h. ISL decreased the protein expressions of PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, mTOR, p-mTOR, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, and N-cadherin, thereby inhibiting BC cell invasion. In addition, ISL decreased MMP-2/9 and N-cadherin expression in lung tissues and reduced mouse 4T1 BC cell lung metastasis. Based on these findings, it suggests that ISL inhibits cell migration and invasion in BC cells by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and decreasing the activation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression. Therefore, ISL may be useful in managing BC invasion and metastasis.