BACKGROUND: Quercetin is a natural bioactive flavonoid that is present in a wide variety of vegetables and fruits and exhibits a promising anti-metastasis property in various human cancer cells. However, the effect of quercetin on human HCCLM3 cells is unclear.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the current study, a wound-healing assay was performed using quercetin-treated HCCLM3 cells to further explore whether quercetin affects the motility of human HCCLM3 cells. Transwell assay was used to explore the potential effect of quercetin in HCCLM3 cells on cell migration and cell invasion. Western blotting analysis was used to explore the expression of p-Akt1, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in quercetin-treated HCCLM3 cells.

RESULTS: The wound-healing time was delayed in quercetin-treated HCCLM3 cells, and the ability to migrate and invade was inhibited in quercetin-treated human HCCLM3 cells. Moreover, the protein levels of p-Akt1, MMP-2, and MMP-9 were down-regulated in quercetin-treated HCCLM3 cells, as detected by Western blotting.

CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that quercetin attenuated cell migration and invasion by suppressing the protein levels of p-Akt1, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in HCCLM3 cells.