Abstract:

The effect and mechanism of Echinoside A, a triterpene glycoside derived from sea cucumber, on tumor
metastasis in lung cancer 95D cell lines were evaluated. The 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium
bromide (MTT) assay was used to determine the anti-proliferation ability of Echinoside A on 95D cells which have
high metastasis ability. Transwell assay and cell adhesion assay were used to determine the effect of Echinoside A on
tumor metastasis capacity. Chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay was used to determine its effect on tumor
angiogenesis. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting analysis were used to determine the
effect of Echinoside A on tumor metastasis-related gene and protein expression. The results show that Echinoside A could
inhibit 95D cell proliferation (P < 0.01), invasion (P < 0.01), migration (P < 0.01) and adhesion (P < 0.01), and decrease
angiogenesis in CAM. Echinoside A could also reduce the mRNA expression of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and
matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2/-9 and significantly promote the mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1/-2.
It could also reduce the gene and protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor. From these data, it is suggested that
Echinoside A can prevent metastasis and angiogenesis through specific inhibition of uPA signaling pathway.

Key words: triterpene glycoside from sea cucumber, 95D cell, tumor, metastasis, angiogenesis, signaling pathway