Epigallocatechin-3-gallate suppresses the growth of human osteosarcoma by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway

Osteosarcoma (OS) is one of the most common malignant tumors in adolescents. Due to local invasion, distant metastasis and drug resistance, the clinical treatment efficacy and prognosis of OS have remained almost unchanged for decades. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a unique catechin from tea leaves, and some studies have confirmed its antitumour effects on various tumors. Here, cellular experiments showed that EGCG significantly promoted OS cell apoptosis and inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion, and cell and animal experiments demonstrated that the Wnt/β-catenin pathway played an indispensable role in the antitumour effects of EGCG. Moreover, EGCG inhibited the growth of OS cells in vitro while suppressing tumor cell damage to the bone in situ and distant lung metastasis. The results indicate that the antitumour effect of EGCG on human OS may be mediated by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and that EGCG can be used alone or in combination with other regimens as a potentially effective anticancer treatment.