Dihydroisotanshinone I as a Treatment Option for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Yao-Hsu Yang¹  Ching-Yuan Wu¹  Shun-Fu Chang²  Yao-Te Tsai³  Ming-Shao Tsai³  Cheng-Ming Hsu³  Geng-He Chang³  Ming-Yu Yang⁴ 

[1] Department of Chinese Medicine, Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi 61363, Taiwan;Department of Medical Research and Development, Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi 61363, Taiwan;Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi 61363, Taiwan;Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan;

关键词: head and neck squamous cell carcinoma;    danshen;    Salvia miltiorrhiza;    dihydroisotanshinone I;    apoptosis;    p38 signaling;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms22168881

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are the most common cancers of the head and neck, and their prevalence is rapidly increasing. HNSCCs present a clinical challenge because of their high recurrence rate, therapeutic resistance to radiation and chemotherapy drugs, and adverse effects. Hence, traditional Chinese herbal treatment may be advantageous to therapeutic strategies for HNSCCs. Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza), a well-known Chinese herb, has been extensively applied in treatments for various diseases, including cancer, because of its high degree of safety and low rate of adverse effects despite its unclear mechanism. Thus, we aimed to explore the possible anticancer effects and mechanisms of dihydroisotanshinone I (DT), a compound in danshen (extract from danshen), on HNSCCs. Three HNSCCs cell lines were used for in vitro studies, and a Detroit 562 xenograft mouse model was chosen for in vivo studies. Our in vitro results showed that DT could initiate apoptosis, resulting in cell death, and the p38 signaling partially regulated DT-initiated cell apoptosis in the Detroit 562 model. In the xenograft mouse model, DT reduced tumor size with no obvious adverse effect of hepatotoxicity. The present study suggests that DT is a promising novel candidate for anti-HNSCCs therapy.

【 授权许可】

Unknown