Abstract

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a devastating disease with poor prognosis. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), specifically, MMP-2 and MML-9 play a critical role in tumorigenesis by their ability to modify tumor microenvironments, facilitating cell invasion and metastasis. We compared MMP secretion by various cytokines, inducers, mitogen, inhibitors that regulate MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities in FaDu and Tongue cancer cell lines. The cells were grown in appropriate media, at near confluence, they were washed with PBS and inoculated with different concentrations of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-β), mitogen (lipopolysaccharides), inducers (PMA), chemical inhibitors (doxycyline, dexamethosone, actinomycin-D, and cyclohexamide) and natural inhibitors (epigallocatechin gallate, and the nutrient mixture. After 24 hours, the media were removed and analyzed for MMP-2 and MMP-9 by gelatinase zymography and quantitatively analyzed by densitometry. Our results showed that these agents have an up and down regulating effect on MMP-2 and MMP-9 secretion, suggesting the clinical usage of these agents may be beneficial in management of HNSCC cancers.

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