Objective: To study the antimetastatic effects of genistein on salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC-M) in vivo.
Methods: ACC-M cells were exposed to genistein for 3 days. The treated cells and control cells were then injected into the tail vein of 20 nude mice, which were randomized into 2 groups. The mice were sacrificed at the sixth week after implantation. The lung metastasis rates and the number of metastases were detected. Apoptosis index (AI), the expression of VEGF and MMP-9 of the lung metastases were also observed.
Results: Compared to the control groups, the number of metastases was significantly reduced in genistein treated group (P < 0.05). The AI of ACC-M cells was higher in the treated group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The level of VEGF and MMP-9 expression were decreased in the treated groups (P < 0.05).
Conclusions: Genistein has a moderate inhibitory effect on metastasis of ACC. Inducing apoptosis, inhibiting the expression of VEGF and MMP-9 are the mechanisms of antimetastatic effects of genistein on ACC-M in nude mice.