Fig. 2.

ECG and EGCG dimers inhibited EGF-mediated cell invasion, MMP2/9 activation and MMP-2/9 increased mRNA levels in Caco-2 cells. Cells were pre-incubated with or without ECG and EGCG dimers for 30 min and then with or without EGF (10 ng/ml) for 24 h for the assessment of cell invasion or 6 h for the determination of MMP-2/9 activity and mRNA levels. The concentrations of ECG and EGCG dimers used corresponds to 0.5x, 1x and 2x IC₅₀ previously reported for the effects of the dimers on Caco-2 cell viability [39]. A- Cell invasion (20X magnification), B- MMP-2/9 activity in the cell culture medium and C- MMP-2/9 mRNA levels were assessed as described in methods. MMP-2/9 mRNA levels measured by qPCR were referred to actin mRNA levels as housekeeping gene. Results are shown as means ± SEM of 3–5 independent experiments. Values having different superscripts are significantly different (p < 0.05, One-way ANOVA-test).