Objective  To explore effects of resveratrol (RSV) on migration and invasion of human renal carcinoma 786-O cells and the mechanism of the effects.

  Methods  The 786-O cells were cultured in vitro and the viability of the cells was measured with cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) at 24-, 48-, and 72-hour of RSV treatment at different doses (0 for control cells, 10, 20, 40, 80 μmol/L) and the apoptosis of the cells was determined with annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) double staining at 24-hour of RSV treatment at various doses. The colony formation ability of 786-O cells was assessed with colony formation assay and the migration ability and invasion ability of the cells were evaluated with wound healing assay and transwell chamber assay, respectively. The cellular expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) were detected with Western blot.

  Results  RSV treatment inhibited the viability of 786-O cells significantly in a dose- and time-dependent manner (P < 0.05), with the 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 52.8, 18.6, and 13.7 μmol/L at 24-, 48-, and 72-hour of the treatment, respectively. Compared with those of in the control cells, significantly increased apoptotic rate (15.07 ± 1.91%, 19.70 ± 2.25% and 33.16 ± 4.25% vs. 4.30 ± 0.55%; P < 0.05 for all), decreased migration rate (77.68 ± 8.42%, 52.40 ± 5.46% and 39.73 ± 4.35% vs. 100.00%; all P < 0.05), and invasion rate (57.57 ± 9.47%, 31.87 ± 5.21 and 30.83 ± 5.07% vs. 100.00%; all P < 0.05) were observed in the 786-O cells treated with 20, 40 and 80 μmol/L RSV for 24 hours. At same time, significantly decreased expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were observed in the 786-O cells with various doses treatment of RSV in contrast to those of the control cells (both P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Resveratrol can obviously inhibit migration and invasion ability of 786-O cells and the effects may be related to the down-regulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression.