Magnolol inhibits tumor cell growth in human pancreatic cancer cell

Background: Pancreatic cancer is the seventh most lethal malignancy owing to its rapid progression to advanced stages and resistance to conventional treatments. Magnolol is a natural compound with demonstrated anticancer properties. The effects and mechanism of action of magnolol on human pancreatic cancer are not known. To address this issue, we investigated the anti-tumor effects of magnolol in four human pancreatic cancer cell lines. Methods: PANC-1, CFPAC-1, ASPC-1, and MIAPaCa-2 cells were treated with magnolol (20-120 mu M). Cell proliferation was evaluated with Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. Cell migration was assessed with the transwell assay. Cathepsin D (CTSD) expression was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting, and its role in relation to the effects of magnolol was evaluated by RNA interference. Results: We found that magnolol inhibited proliferation and migration in all four cell lines while inducing apoptosis. Furthermore, the inhibition of migration by magnolol was mediated via inhibition of CTSD expression. Conclusions: Magnolol inhibits pancreatic cancer growth, and can thus serve as a natural alternative to chemotherapy.