Sesamol As a Potential Anti-Fibrotic Agent Targeting ECM Dynamics in Oral Submucous Fibrosis

Area of Science:

• Oral Medicine
• Pharmacology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Oral Submucous Fibrosis (OSMF) is a progressive, potentially malignant oral condition with limited effective treatments.
• Current therapies do not fully reverse fibrosis or halt disease progression.
• Sesamol, a natural compound from sesame seeds, possesses known anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties, but its anti-fibrotic effects in OSMF are unstudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the anti-proliferative and anti-fibrotic potential of sesamol on primary OSMF fibroblasts.
• To evaluate sesamol's effects on cell viability, migration, collagen deposition, and fibrosis-related gene expression in OSMF cells.
• To compare sesamol's efficacy with dexamethasone, a standard OSMF treatment.

Main Methods:

• In-vitro experimental study using primary OSMF fibroblasts (passages p8-p10).
• Cell viability assessed via MTT assay; anti-migration evaluated using scratch assay.
• Anti-fibrotic effects analyzed by Masson's trichrome staining and quantification of fibrosis-related genes (MMP-1, MMP-2, COL1A2, α-SMA, TGF-β1).

Main Results:

• Sesamol demonstrated dose-dependent cytotoxicity and significant anti-proliferative effects on OSMF cells.
• Sesamol exhibited significant anti-migratory efficacy, delaying wound closure in scratch assays.
• Masson's trichrome staining revealed reduced collagen buildup with sesamol treatment, indicating anti-fibrotic potential.
• Gene expression analysis showed sesamol modulated ECM degradation and fibrotic signaling by increasing MMPs and decreasing COL1A2, α-SMA, and TGF-β1.

Conclusions:

• Sesamol exhibits significant anti-proliferative, anti-migratory, and anti-fibrotic effects on primary OSMF fibroblasts.
• Sesamol influences key profibrotic pathways, suggesting its potential therapeutic value in OSMF.
• These findings support sesamol as a promising candidate for further preclinical investigation in Oral Submucous Fibrosis management.