Anticancer effect of myristicin on hepatic carcinoma and related molecular mechanism

CONTEXT: Myristicin is a natural active compound that has inflammatory, antimicrobial and anti-proliferative properties. Yet, its effect on hepatic carcinoma has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE: To explore the role and related molecular mechanism of myristicin in hepatic carcinoma in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human hepatic carcinoma cell lines (Huh-7 and HCCLM3 cells) were treated with different concentrations of myristicin (0.5, 1 and 5 mM) for 24, 48 and 72 h. Then, (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) tetrazolium assay (MTT), flow cytometer (FCM) analysis and transwell assay were performed to determine cell proliferation, apoptosis and migration/invasion, respectively. Protein levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated X (Bax), E-cadherin, N-cadherin and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway-related proteins were detected using Western blot assay. Gene expression was determined using quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). RESULTS: Myristicin inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in Huh-7 and HCCLM3 cells; suppressed cell migration and invasion ability, and increased E-cadherin expression and decreased N-cadherin expression, thereby inhibiting epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Finally, the findings indicated that myristicin decreased phosphorylated (p)-mTOR and p-AKT expression at the protein level. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Myristicin exerts an efficient therapeutic effect on hepatic carcinoma by suppressing PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathway; thus, it may be used as a new potential drug for hepatic carcinoma treatment.