Significant anti-invasive activities of α-mangostin from the mangosteen pericarp on two human skin cancer cell lines.

AIM This study aimed at investigating the anti-invasive activities of α-mangostin on human melanoma SK-MEL-28 and squamous cell carcinoma A-431 cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cytotoxicity was tested by the crystal violet assay; anti-invasive activity was detected by the wound healing, cell-matrix adhesion, and boyden chamber assays; and gene regulatory effects by qRT-PCR. Treatments were at non-toxic concentrations (0-1.25 μg/ml for A-431 cells and 0-2.5 μg/ml for SK-MEL-28 cells). RESULTS α-Mangostin inhibited motility, adhesion, migration and invasion. Invasive ability was reduced to 4% and 20% following α-mangostin treatment compared with untreated A-431 and SK-MEL-28 cells, respectively. Inhibition of gene expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, NF-κB, and Akt1 was involved in the anti-invasive activities on A-431 cells. Inhibition of MMP-2, NF-κB and IκBα was involved for SK-MEL-28 cells. CONCLUSION α-Mangostin suppressed the metastatic processes of SK-MEL-28 and A-431 cell lines by differentially regulating metastasis-related genes, showing potential as an anti-metastatic agent.