Background/aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the flavonoid quercetin on chemoprevention of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The study involved molecular signaling pathways in 7,12-dimethylbenz(a) anthracene (DMBA)-induced hamster buccal pouch (HBP) carcinogenesis.
Materials and methods: DMBA (0.5%) was painted at the right buccal pouches of hamsters for 14 weeks to induce carcinoma. DMBA-treated hamsters received simultaneous doses of quercetin. Animals without DMBA induction were used as normal controls. The incidence of OSCC and the severity of pre-malignant lesions were determined histologically. Apoptosis in the pouch tissue was determined by TUNEL staining. The mRNA and protein expression of NF-κB p50 and p65, as well as Bcl-2 and Bax genes were analyzed using RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively.
Results: Quercetin, at various doses, significantly reduced OSCC incidence and severity of hyperplasia and dysplasia compared to the DMBA-induction-only group (p<0.01). Apoptosis was induced by quercetin treatment compared to the DMBA-induction-only group (p<0.01). mRNA and protein expression of NF-κB p50, p65 as well as Bcl-2 genes were significantly suppressed by quercetin at high doses compared to DMBA induction only (p<0.05). However, mRNA and protein expression of the Bax gene was increased by quercetin treatment at medium and high doses, compared to the DMBA-induction-only group (p<0.05). Quercetin significantly reduced body-weight loss compared to the DMBA-induction-only group (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Quercetin reduced tumor incidence and induced apoptosis through modulation of NF-κB signaling and its target genes Bcl-2 and Bax in the DMBA-induced carcigenesis hamster model, suggesting the potential of quercetin as a candidate for OSCC chemoprevention.
Keywords: 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA); NF-κB; chemoprevention; hamster; oral squamous cell carcinoma; quercetin.
Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.