Berberine combined with formononetin inhibits migration of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells through the MAPK/ERK1/2 signaling pathway

Abstract

To study the effect of berberine combined with formononetin on the migration of NPC cells, and to preliminarily explore the roles of the MAPK/ERK1/2 signaling pathway.Berberine combined with formononetin synergistically inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of NPC cells. After treatment, the expression of EMT-related proteins N-cadherin,vimentin and MAP4K4 decreased, that of E-cadherin increased, and that of p-c-Raf, p-MEK, p-ERK1/2 was down-regulated. After MAPK/ERK 1/2 signaling pathway was activated by EGF, the inhibitory effect of berberine combined with formononetin on the key proteins p-c-Raf, p-MEK, p-ERK1/2 of MAPK/ERK1/2 signaling pathway, and the downstream proteins N-cadherin and vimentin, and the promotion of E-cadherin were weakened. Meanwhile, the activation of MAPK/ERK1/2 signaling pathway reduced the inhibitory effect of berberine combined with formononetin on the migration of NPC cells.Berberine combined with formononetin decreases the activity of the MAPK/ERK1/2 signaling pathway, thus further inhibiting the migration of NPC cells.

Keywords

• NPC cells
• Berberine
• Formononetin
• Cell migration
• MAPK/ERK1/2 signaling pathway
• Synergistic effect