Metastasis is one of major causes of cancer mortality. Metastasis of cancer cells involves multiple processes and various cytophysiological changes, including changing adhesion capability between cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) and damaging intercellular interaction. Degradation of the ECM and components of the basement membrane is caused by proteinases, such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Among the MMPs family, MMP-2 and MMP-9 play a critical role in tumor invasion and metastasis, therefore, the inhibition of cell migration or invasion mediated by MMP-2 and MMP-9 could be a preventive way of cancer metastasis. Hispidin is a major component of Phellinus Linteus, one of the traditional Chinese medical herbs. However, the mechanism of Hispidin on anti-metastasis is still unclear. In this study, Hispidin was used to evaluate growth inhibition. The inhibitory effects of Hispidin on growth of tumor cells were determined by MTT assay. Hispidin showed an inhibitory effect on cell migration and invasion by transwell chamber assay. We also found that Hispidin can reduce MMP-2 activity by zymography and Western-blot. Hispidin also induced the endogenous inhibitor, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). These results indicated that Hispidin has a potential anti-metastasis effect on human lung carcinoma cell line A549.
