ABSTRACT
Aim: Diverse pharmacological and biochemical effects of lupeol have been reported earlier. The present study utilized the immune expression pattern of proliferating cellular nuclear antigen (PCNA), cyclin D1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB) to assess the anticancer potential of lupeol in 7,12-dimethylbenz(a) anthracene (DMBA) induced oral carcinogenesis. Methods: Well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma was appeared in the buccal mucosa of hamsters painted with DMBA thrice a week for 14 weeks. The expression pattern of the molecular markers was analysed using immunohistochemistry (PCNA, VEGF), Real Time PCR (NFkB, cyclin D1) and ELISA (COX-2). Results: We noticed oral tumors in all the hamsters treated with DMBA alone and thus the tumor incidence is 100%. The total number of tumors developed in DMBA alone painted hamsters was 23. Upregulation of cell proliferative (PCNA, cyclin D1), inflammatory (NFkB, COX-2) and angiogenic markers (VEGF) was noticed in oral tumor bearing hamsters. Lupeol administration orally to DMBA painted hamsters completely inhibited the tumor formation (0%) and downregulated the immunoexpression pattern of cell proliferative (PCNA, cyclin D1), inflammatory (NFkB, COX-2) and angiogenic markers (VEGF). Conclusion: The present results suggest that lupeol exhibited antitumor potential through its anticell proliferative, anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic potential during DMBA induced oral carcinogenesis.
ABSTRACT
The modulating effect of curcumin and ferulic acid was investigated on expression pattern of apoptosis regulatory p53 and bcl-2 proteins in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The OSCC was induced in the buccal pouch of golden Syrian hamster by painting with 0.5% 7,12-dimethylbenz[]anthracene (DMBA) three-times a week for 14 weeks. The expression pattern of p53 and bcl-2 proteins was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining. We noticed 100% tumor formation in hamsters painted with DMBA alone for 14 weeks. Overexpression of p53 and bcl-2 proteins was observed in the buccal mucosa of tumor-bearing hamsters. Oral administration of curcumin (80 mg/kg body wt) and ferulic acid (40 mg/kg body wt) to DMBA painted hamsters on days alternate to DMBA painting for 14 weeks completely inhibited tumor formation and down-regulated the expression pattern of p53 and bcl-2 proteins. Our results thus demonstrated the protective role of curcumin and ferulic acid on DMBA-induced abnormal expression of p53 and bcl-2 proteins in the buccal mucosa of golden Syrian hamsters.