OBJECTIVETo investigate the inhibitory effect of hyaluronic acid (HA), hyaluronidase (Hase) and arg-gly-asp tripeptide (RGD) on adhesion and invasion of human gastric cancer cell line SGC7901.

METHODSExpression of CD44 and integrin beta1 protein on cell surface was determined by indirect fluorescence. After SGC7901 cells were treated with HA, Hase and RGD alone or in various combinations, their adhesion and invasion to ECM were measured by MTT and Boyden chamber method. Cell morphology was also observed.

RESULTSExpression of CD44 and integrin beta1 protein on cell surface was detected in human gastric cancer cell line SGC7901. Hase or RGD alone could block the adhesion and invasion of SGC7901 cells to ECM in contrast to the control (P < 0.001, P < 0.05); their blocking effect was stronger than HA (P < 0.05). The inhibitory effect of Hase + HA or a combination of the three agents was stronger than any single agent (P < 0.001). Morphologically, the untreated cells adhered onto the matrigel had spread out presenting a fibroblast feature with variously shaped pseudopods, while the treated ones were kept round with relatively fewer pseudopods.

CONCLUSIONHA, Hase and RGD can inhibit the adhesion and invasion of SGC7901 cells expressing functional CD44 and integrin beta1 protein to ECM, and a combination of the three agents may achieve the best inhibitory effect.