L-theanine suppresses the metastasis of prostate cancer by downregulating MMP9 and Snail.

Abstract

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a very prevalent male-specific malignancy; most PCa patients eventually die as a result of metastasis. L-theanine (C7H14N2O3), a nonprotein amino acid derivative from green tea leaves, has been demonstrated to act as an anticarcinogen through proapoptotic and antiproliferative effects. However, the antimetastatic effect of L-theanine in tumor cells and its underlying mechanism are still unclear. Here, we found that L-theanine could suppress invasion, migration, and increase cell-cell adhesion of prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. We also found that L-theanine could inhibit the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process in PCa. Our study revealed that L-theanine could downregulate MMP9, N-cadherin, Vimentin, Snail, and upregulate E-cadherin. Furthermore, L-theanine suppressed the transcription of MMP9 and Snail by significantly inhibiting the ERK/NF-κB signaling pathway and the binding activity of p65 to the promoter regions of MMP9 and Snail. All of these findings suggest that L-theanine has therapeutic potential for metastatic PCa and may be considered a promising candidate for antimetastatic therapy of prostate cancer.

• Authors: Xirui Fan, Jinyi Zhou, Xiaowen Bi, Juanjuan Liang, Shuai Lu, Xintong Yan, Lan Luo, Zhimin Yin
• Journal: The Journal of nutritional biochemistry (J Nutr Biochem) Vol. 89 Pg. 108556 (03 2021) ISSN: 1873-4847 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 33249185 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Cadherins
• Glutamates
• NF-kappa B
• Snail Family Transcription Factors
• Tea
• Vimentin
• theanine
• Matrix Metalloproteinase 9

Topics

• Animals
• Antineoplastic Agents (metabolism, pharmacology)
• Cadherins (metabolism)
• Cell Movement (drug effects)
• Down-Regulation
• Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (drug effects)
• Glutamates (metabolism, pharmacology)
• Humans
• Male
• Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 (metabolism)
• Mice
• NF-kappa B (metabolism)
• Neoplasm Metastasis (pathology)
• PC-3 Cells
• Prostatic Neoplasms (drug therapy, metabolism, pathology)
• Signal Transduction (drug effects)
• Snail Family Transcription Factors (metabolism)
• Tea (chemistry)
• Vimentin (metabolism)