BACKGROUNDRoundabout 5 (R5) is a monoclonal antibody which can neutralize the binding of Roundabout 1 (Robo1) to Slit2. Oral squamous cell carcinoma angiogenesis was significantly inhibited when R5 blocked slit-robo signaling pathway. However, the effect of R5 on the invasion of tongue cancer cells has not been investigated clearly.

METHODSIn this study, we treated human brain metastasis of tongue cancer cell lines (Tb cells) with R5 at different concentrations, and the control Tb cells were treated with 10 mg/ml immunoglobin G 2b (IgG2b). The effect of R5 on the proliferation, adhension, invasion and motility of Tb cells was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, cell attachment assay on fibronectin (FN), wound assay and chemotaxis assay, respectively. And gelatin-incorporated sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was used to investigate the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9).

RESULTSR5 had no effect on the proliferation of Tb cells. However, R5 could significantly inhibit the motility, attachment and chemotaxis of Tb cells to FN, and it could also significantly inhibit the activity of MMP2 and MMP9 in Tb cells.

CONCLUSIONR5 can inhibit the adhesion, invasion and motility of human tongue carcinoma Tb cells.