gms | German Medical Science

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of the dietary flavonoid quercetin on suppressing the viability, proliferation, and migration of the uveal melanoma cells as well as the expression of major proteins involved in metastatic activity.

Methods: Cultures of 92.1 cells were incubated with quercetin at a concentration range of 1-100 μM. Viability was analyzed by the MTT-test, Live-Dead staining, and TUNEL-assay. Cell proliferation was assessed by BrdU incorporation and Ki-67 immunostaining. Migration was analyzed by the wound healing assay. Protein expression was analysed by immunocytochemistry and -blotting.

Results: Quercetin resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in cell proliferation, survival, and migration, with the effects becoming signi cant (P<0.05) from 50 μM onwards. Quercetin also interfered with the expression of the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor on the cell surface, possibly by preventing the upregulation of the transcriptional coactivator YAP-1 in the nucleus.

Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the efficacy of quercetin as a novel therapy alternative for suppressing the metastatic potential of uveal melanoma cells.