Sulindac sulfide and caffeic acid phenethyl ester suppress the motility of lung adenocarcinoma cells promoted by transforming growth factor-beta through Akt inhibition.

Cell migration is essential for invasive and metastatic phenotypes of cancer cells. Potential chemopreventive agents of cancer-sulindac sulfide, caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), curcumin, and (+)-catechin-have been reported to interfere with several types of intracellular signaling. In this study, we examined the effects of these agents on transforming growth factor-beta(TGF-beta)-induced motility and Akt phosphorylation in A549 cells. Judged by gold particle phagokinesis assay, sulindac sulfide, CAPE, and curcumin suppressed the motility of A549 cells promoted by TGF-beta. LY294002, a specific inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)/Akt signaling, also suppressed TGF-beta-induced motility and Akt phosphorylation. Sulindac sulfide and CAPE, but not curcumin, suppressed TGF-beta-induced Akt phosphorylation. We conclude that sulindac sulfide and CAPE suppress the motility promoted by TGF-beta in lung adenocarcinoma cells through the suppression of Akt. Our observations raise the possibility that these agents, except for (+)-catechin, can be applied not only as chemopreventive agents but also as anti-metastatic therapy.