Piceatannol suppresses the metastatic potential of MCF10A human breast epithelial cells harboring mutated H-ras by inhibiting MMP-2 expression

Metastasis is one of the most threatening features of the oncogenic process and the main cause of cancer-related mortality. Several studies have demonstrated that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are critical for tumor invasion and metastasis. Resveratrol (3,5,4′-trihydroxystilbene), a phenolic compound of red wine, has been reported to be a natural chemopreventive agent. However, the cancer preventive effects of piceatannol (3,5,3′,4′-tetrahydroxystilbene), a metabolite of resveratrol and the underlying molecular mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, we report that piceatannol inhibits H-ras-induced MMP-2 activity and the invasive phenotype of MCF10A human breast epithelial cells harboring mutated H-ras (H-ras MCF10A cells) more effectively than resveratrol. Piceatannol attenuated the H-ras-induced phosphorylation of Akt in a time- and dose-dependent manner, whereas resveratrol, at the same concentrations, did not exert an inhibitory effect. In vitro kinase assays demonstrated that piceatannol significantly inhibited phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) activity and suppressed phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PIP(3)) expression in the H-ras MCF10A cells. Ex vivo pull-down assays revealed that piceatannol directly bound to PI3K, inhibiting PI3K activity. Data from molecular docking suggested that piceatannol is a more tight-binding inhibitor than resveratrol due to the additional hydrogen bond between the hydroxyl group and the backbone amide group of Val882 in the ATP-binding pocket of PI3K.