Effects of osthole on migration and invasion in breast cancer cells

Osthole, a natural coumarin derivative, is extracted from the fruit of Cnidium monnieri Cusson. Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers and the leading cause of death in women. Recent studies have shown that Osthole has anti-tumor activity. However, the effects of Osthole on the migration and invasion of cancer cells have not yet been reported. Here, we found that Osthole is effective in inhibiting the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells by wound healing and transwell assays. Luciferase and zymography assays revealed that Osthole effectively inhibits matrix metalloproteinase-2 promoter and enzyme activity, which might be one of the causes that lead to the inhibition of migration and invasion by Osthole. This is the first report on the inhibitory function of Osthole in migration and invasion in breast cancer cells. Our findings indicate a need for further evaluation of Osthole in breast cancer chemotherapy and chemoprevention.