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Published on: December 19, 2019
Exploring anticancer potential of betanin in DMBA-induced oral squamous cell carcinoma: an in silico and experimental
Ramachandhiran Duraisamy1, Vinothkumar Veerasamy2, Vaitheeswari Balakrishnan1
1Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Annamalainagar, 608002, Tamil Nadu, India.
Abstract:
In addition to being able to fight cancer, betanin (BTN) has amazing natural antioxidant and peroxy-radical scavenging properties. 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) can impair the activities of enzymes accountable for breaking down xenobiotics and can also cause lipid peroxidation. The study's goal was to find out if betanin could protect against these problems. We determined 100% tumor incidence, abnormal tumor volume, inclined tumor burden, and deduced body weight in DMBA-induced hamsters. We observed diminished lipid peroxidation and enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant activities in DMBA-induced hamsters. The histological study showed that the hamster that receives only DMBA undergoes hyperkeratosis, epithelial hyperplasia, dysplasia, and well-differentiated oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The hamsters received three different dosages of BTN (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg b.w.) via intragastric intubation for 14 weeks, on alternate days of DMBA painting. The levels of antioxidants, xenobiotic enzymes, and lipid peroxidation (LPO) were significantly restored and inhibited tumor development in a dose-dependent manner. The molecular docking study found high levels of binding affinity in Bax (PDB ID: 2K7W), Caspase-3 (PDB ID: 4JJ8), Caspase-9 (PDB ID: 2AR9), PI3K (PDB ID: 5XGI), AKT (PDB ID: 6BUU), p53 (PDB ID: 1YCS), SMAD-2 (PDB ID: 1DEV), SMAD-4 (PDB ID: 1YGS), SMAD-7 (PDB ID: 2DJY), TGFβ-I (PDB ID: 1PY5), and TGFβ-II (PDB ID: 1M9Z). So, therefore, in vivo and in silico studies were providing prominent anticancer activity of betanin against DMBA-induced oral cancer.
Insights
Betanin (BTN) demonstrates significant anticancer properties by protecting against 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced oral cancer in hamsters. This natural antioxidant restores key enzyme activities and inhibits tumor development, showing dose-dependent efficacy.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pharmacology
- Oncology
Background:
- Betanin (BTN) possesses antioxidant and radical scavenging properties.
- 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) exposure can lead to impaired xenobiotic metabolism and lipid peroxidation, contributing to cancer development.
- Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a significant health concern, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the protective effects of betanin against DMBA-induced oral cancer in a hamster model.
- To evaluate the impact of betanin on oxidative stress markers, xenobiotic enzyme activity, and tumor progression.
- To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying betanin's anticancer activity through in silico analysis.
Main Methods:
- Induction of oral cancer in hamsters using DMBA.
- Administration of varying dosages of betanin (10, 20, 40 mg/kg b.w.) via intragastric intubation.
- Assessment of tumor incidence, volume, burden, body weight, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzyme activities.
- Histopathological examination of oral tissues.
- Molecular docking studies to assess binding affinities with key cancer-related proteins.
Main Results:
- DMBA induction resulted in 100% tumor incidence, increased tumor burden, and elevated lipid peroxidation, alongside diminished antioxidant activity.
- Betanin treatment significantly restored antioxidant levels, xenobiotic enzyme activity, and inhibited lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent manner.
- Histopathology confirmed betanin's ability to mitigate hyperkeratosis, hyperplasia, dysplasia, and OSCC progression.
- Molecular docking revealed high binding affinity of betanin to crucial proteins involved in apoptosis and cell signaling pathways (Bax, Caspases, PI3K/AKT, p53, SMADs, TGF-β).
Conclusions:
- Betanin exhibits prominent anticancer activity against DMBA-induced oral cancer.
- The protective effects are attributed to the restoration of antioxidant defense systems and modulation of xenobiotic metabolism.
- In vivo and in silico findings support betanin as a potential therapeutic agent for oral cancer treatment.
