Analysis of Inhibitory Effects of Kaempferol on Migration and Epithelial–mesenchymal Transition in Human Lung Cancer

Abstract

Kaempferol, a natural dietary flavonoid and has been used in the treatment of neurodegenerative disease, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease and various cancers. In this study, we studied the inhibitory effect of kaempferol on the expressions of migration-related and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in human non-small lung cancer cells. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay. The migration and EMT markers were detected and evaluated using real time PCR and western blot. It has been
found that kaempferol significantly decreased the expression of migration markers matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor-1
(TIMP-1) and TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor-2 (TIMP-2) expression increased with kaempferol treatment. It was found that there is an association between kaempferol treatment and the expression of EMT
markers. Kaempferol has up-regulated the epithelial marker E-cadherin and downregulated mesenchymal markers N-cadherin. It can be concluded from this study that there is therapeutic significance of
kaempferol, which possesses anti-migration activity and induces EMT markers expression in human lungs cancer