Perfluorooctanoic acid stimulates breast cancer cells invasion and up-regulates matrix metalloproteinase-2/-9 expression mediated by activating NF-κB.

•PFOA exposure (≥5nM) evidently enhanced the invasion ability of the breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231.•MMP-2/-9 of MDA-MB-231 cells were increased with PFOA treatment.•PFOA could activate nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) by accelerating NF-κB translocation into the nucleus.•NF-κB inhibitor could reverse PFOA-induced breast cancer cells invasiveness enhancement and MMP-2/-9 overexpression.•PFOA can stimulate breast cancer cells invasion and up-regulates matrix metalloproteinase-2/-9 expression mediated by activating NF-κB, which deserves more environmental health concerns.