Background: Royal jelly (RJ) produced by honeybees has been reported to possess various pharmacological activities. For the role of antitumor, RJ has been demonstrated in several types of cancer cells which 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA) proposed as an active component. In the present study, we aimed to expand more knowledge of the antitumor effect of RJ and 10-HDA in the aspect of metastasis inhibition. Triple negative breast cancer cells (TNBC) that are often aggressive and associated with poor prognosis were selected as a model for this study.

Materials and Methods: An MTT assay was used for determination of cytotoxicity, while migration, invasion and adhesion assays were used to evaluate metastatic potential. The effect of angiogenesis was assessed by the level of pro-angiogenic factor, VEGF.

Results: RJ decreased the cell viability of TNBC (MDA-MB-231) cells and other cancer cells (Colo205, HepG2, HeLa and KB). The blockage of TNBC migration was clearly seen when the cells were treated with RJ or 10-HDA. The invasion, adhesion and release of VEGF were significantly inhibited by 10-HDA.

Conclusion: RJ and 10-HDA have potential of anti-metastatic activity against aggressive breast cancer cells.

Keywords: royal jelly, 10-HDA, TNBC, Metastasis, Migration, Invasion, Adhesion, VEGF