Impact of apigenin and kaempferol on human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Apigenin and kaempferol are plant flavonoids with reported chemopreventive activities. This study aimed to determine the effect of apigenin and kaempferol on cell viability in cultured cells derived from the pharynx (FaDu cell line), an oral cavity carcinoma (PCI-13 cell line), and a metastatic lymph node (PCI-15B cell line) and in explanted FaDu cells.

The in vitro viability of FaDu, PCI-13, and PCI-15B cells treated with apigenin and kaempferol was determined. Tumor growth of FaDu explants was evaluated in athymic mice that were gavaged with either apigenin or kaempferol.

Although apigenin and kaempferol treatment decreased viability of cells in vitro, cell-type-dependent differences in responsiveness were observed. In vivo apigenin treatment significantly increased the tumor size of FaDu explants. Results obtained using kaempferol were similar.

The in vitro decrease in FaDu cell viability by apigenin and kaempferol was not observed in in vivo tumor explants using the conditions described in this study.