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Machado TQ, Lima MED, da Silva RC, Macedo AL, de Queiroz LN, Angrisani BRP, da Fonseca ACC, Câmara PR, Rabelo VVH, Carollo CA, de Lima Moreira D, de Almeida ECP, Vasconcelos TRA, Abreu PA, Valverde AL, Robbs BK. Anticancer Activity and Molecular Targets of Piper cernuum Substances in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Models. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1914. [PMID: 37509552 PMCID: PMC10377665 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11071914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a worldwide public health problem, with high morbidity and mortality rates. The development of new drugs to treat OSCC is paramount. Piper plant species have shown many biological activities. In the present study, we show that dichloromethane partition of Piper cernuum (PCLd) is nontoxic in chronic treatment in mice, reduces the amount of atypia in tongues of chemically induced OSCC, and significantly increases animal survival. To identify the main active compounds, chromatographic purification of PCLd was performed, where fractions 09.07 and 14.05 were the most active and selective. These fractions promoted cell death by apoptosis characterized by phosphatidyl serine exposition, DNA fragmentation, and activation of effector caspase-3/7 and were nonhemolytic. LC-DAD-MS/MS analysis did not propose matching spectra for the 09.07 fraction, suggesting compounds not yet known. However, aporphine alkaloids were annotated in fraction 14.05, which are being described for the first time in P. cernuum and corroborate the observed cytotoxic activity. Putative molecular targets were determined for these alkaloids, in silico, where the androgen receptor (AR), CHK1, CK2, DYRK1A, EHMT2, LXRβ, and VEGFR2 were the most relevant. The results obtained from P. cernuum fractions point to promising compounds as new preclinical anticancer candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaíssa Queiróz Machado
- Postgraduate Program in Applied Science for Health Products, Faculty of Pharmacy, Fluminense Federal University, Niteroi 24241-000, RJ, Brazil
| | - Maria Emanuelle Damazio Lima
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Chemistry Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niteroi 24020-141, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rafael Carriello da Silva
- Postgraduate Program in Dentistry, Health Institute of Nova Friburgo, Fluminense Federal University, Nova Friburgo 28625-650, RJ, Brazil
| | - Arthur Ladeira Macedo
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, Food and Nutrition Faculty, Mato Grosso do Sul Federal University, Campo Grande 79070-900, MS, Brazil
| | - Lucas Nicolau de Queiroz
- Postgraduate Program in Applied Science for Health Products, Faculty of Pharmacy, Fluminense Federal University, Niteroi 24241-000, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Anna Carolina Carvalho da Fonseca
- Postgraduate Program in Dentistry, Health Institute of Nova Friburgo, Fluminense Federal University, Nova Friburgo 28625-650, RJ, Brazil
| | - Priscilla Rodrigues Câmara
- Basic Science Department, Health Institute of Nova Friburgo, Fluminense Federal University, Nova Friburgo 28625-650, RJ, Brazil
| | - Vitor Von-Held Rabelo
- Biodiversity and Sustainability Institute, Macaé Campus, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Macae 21941-901, RJ, Brazil
| | - Carlos Alexandre Carollo
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, Food and Nutrition Faculty, Mato Grosso do Sul Federal University, Campo Grande 79070-900, MS, Brazil
| | - Davyson de Lima Moreira
- Research Directorate, Laboratory of Natural Products and Biochemistry, Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden Research Institute, Rio de Janeiro 22460-030, RJ, Brazil
| | - Elan Cardozo Paes de Almeida
- Basic Science Department, Health Institute of Nova Friburgo, Fluminense Federal University, Nova Friburgo 28625-650, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Paula Alvarez Abreu
- Biodiversity and Sustainability Institute, Macaé Campus, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Macae 21941-901, RJ, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Leda Valverde
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Chemistry Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niteroi 24020-141, RJ, Brazil
| | - Bruno Kaufmann Robbs
- Basic Science Department, Health Institute of Nova Friburgo, Fluminense Federal University, Nova Friburgo 28625-650, RJ, Brazil
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