Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a unique disease that arises from allografting of the conceptus, and has a characteristic morphology and biological behavior. It encompasses a spectrum of interrelated diseases, including hydatidiform mole, invasive mole, choriocarcinoma and placental-site trophoblastic tumor, but its pathogenesis remains unrevealed. Particularly, choriocarcinoma is a highly malignant tumor with poor prognosis. In this study, we cultured the human choriocarcinoma cell line JEG-3 in vitro. After treating the cells with different doses of interleukin (IL)-12, the cell invasion was observed. We also detected the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-9 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1 and the cell cycle of JEG-3 cells. Our data indicated that IL-12 inhibits cell invasion in a dose- and time-dependent manner through regulating the expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-1. In addition, treatment with IL-12 redistributes the phases of the cell cycle in JEG-3 cells. These findings suggest an antitumor role of IL-12 in choriocarcinoma, with far reaching possibilities for understanding the mechanisms of IL-12.

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