TY - JOUR AB - Triptolide is a diterpenoid epoxide that is endogenously produced by the thunder god vine, Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F. Triptolide has demonstrated a variety of biological activities, including anticancer activities, in previous studies. Invasion and metastasis are the leading causes of mortality for patients with breast cancer, and the increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) has been shown to be associated with breast cancer invasion. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of triptolide on 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced cell invasion and MMP-9 expression in breast cancer cells. The expression of signal molecules was examined by western blotting, zymography and quantitative polymerase chain reaction; an electrophoretic mobility gel shift assay was also used, and cell invasiveness was measured by an in vitro Matrigel invasion assay. The MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line was treated with triptolide at the highest concentrations at which no marked cytotoxicity was evident. The results demonstrated that triptolide decreased the expression of MMP-9 through inhibition of the TPA-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and the downregulation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) activity. In addition, a Transwell assay revealed that triptolide reduced the ability of MCF-7 cells to invade Matrigel. These data demonstrate that the anti-invasive effect of triptolide is associated with the inhibition of ERK signaling and NF-κB and AP-1 activation, and suggest that triptolide may be a promising drug for breast cancer. AD - Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Medical Sciences, Jeonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Jeollabuk 54907, Republic of Korea Department of Emergency Medical Rescue, Nambu University, Gwangju 62271, Republic of Korea Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Research Institute of Clinical Medicine of Jeonbuk National University and Biomedical Research Institute of Jeonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju, Jeollabuk 54907, Republic of Korea AU - Hong,On-Yu AU - Jang,Hye-Yeon AU - Park,Kwang-Hyun AU - Jeong,Young-Ju AU - Kim,Jong-Suk AU - Chae,Hee,Suk DA - 2021/07/01 DO - 10.3892/ol.2021.12823 IS - 1 JO - Oncol Lett KW - triptolide matrix metalloproteinase-9 invasion breast cancer PY - 2021 SN - 1792-1074 1792-1082 SP - 562 ST - Triptolide inhibits matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression and invasion of breast cancer cells through the inhibition of NF-κB and AP-1 signaling pathways T2 - Oncology Letters TI - Triptolide inhibits matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression and invasion of breast cancer cells through the inhibition of NF-κB and AP-1 signaling pathways UR - https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2021.12823 VL - 22 ER -