SUMMARY Objective To investigate the mechanisms of vanilloid cytotoxicity and anti-tumor effects in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Materials and methods Immunohistochemistry and qPCR analyses demonstrated expression of the TRP vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) receptor in OSCC. Using cell proliferation assays, calcium imaging, and three mouse xenograft models, prototypical vanilloid agonist (capsaicin) and antagonist (capsazepine) were evaluated for cytotoxic and anti-tumor effects in OSCC. Results OSCC cell lines treated with capsaicin displayed significantly reduced cell viability. Pre-treatment with capsazepine failed to reverse these effects. Moreover, capsazepine alone was significantly cytotoxic to tumor cells, suggesting the mechanism-of-action is independent of TRPV1 activation. This was further confirmed by calcium imaging indicating that TRPV1 channels are not functional in the cell lines tested. We then examined whether the observed vanilloid cytotoxicity was due to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and subsequent apoptosis. Induction of ROS was confirmed by flow cytometry and reversed by co-treatment with the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). NAC also significantly reversed vanilloid cytotoxicity in cell proliferation assays. Dose-dependent induction of apoptosis with capsazepine treatment was demonstrated by FACS analyses and c-PARP expression in treated cells. Our in vivo xenograft studies showed that intra-tumoral injections of capsazepine exhibited high effectiveness in suppressing tumor growth with no identifiable toxicities. Conclusions These findings confirm TRPV1 channel expression in OSCC. However anti-tumor effects of vanilloids are independent of TRPV1 activation and are most likely due to ROS induction and subsequent apoptosis. Importantly, these studies demonstrate capsazepine is a potential therapeutic candidate for OSCC.

Our findings provide the first evidence of thymol's novel antitumor effects against OSCC in vivo, which do not rely on TRPA1 activity. Instead, we show that thymol induces mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis and may be efficacious against multiple cancers.

Background Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a deadly disease with a mere 40% five‐year survival rate for patients with advanced disease. Previously, we discovered that capsazepine (CPZ), a transient receptor potential channel, Vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1) antagonist, has significant anti‐tumor effects against OSCC via a unique mechanism‐of‐action that is independent of TRPV1. Thus, we developed novel CPZ analogs with more potent anti‐proliferative effects (CIDD‐24, CIDD‐99, and CIDD‐111). Methods Using OSCC xenograft models, we determined the efficacy of these analogs in vivo. TRPV1 interactions were evaluated using calcium imaging and a rat model of orofacial pain. Anti‐cancer mechanism(s)‐of‐action were assessed by cell cycle analysis and mitochondrial depolarization assays. Results CIDD‐99 was the most potent analog demonstrating significant anti‐tumor effects in vivo (P < 0.001). CIDD‐24 was equipotent to the parent compound CPZ, but less potent than CIDD‐99. CIDD‐111 was the least efficacious analog. Calcium imaging studies confirmed that CIDD‐99 neither activates nor inhibits TRPV1 confirming that TRPV1 activity is not involved in its anti‐cancer effects. All analogs induced an S‐phase block, dose‐dependent mitochondrial depolarization, and apoptosis. Histological analyses revealed increased apoptosis and reduced cell proliferation in tumors treated with these analogs. Importantly, CIDD‐99 had the most dramatic anti‐tumor effects with 85% of tumors resolving leaving only minute traces of viable tissue. Additionally, CIDD‐99 was non‐noxious and demonstrated no observable adverse reactions Conclusion This study describes a novel, highly efficacious, CPZ analog, CIDD‐99, with dramatic anti‐tumor effects against OSCC that may be efficacious as a lone therapy or in combination with standard therapies.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a deadly disease that comprises 60% of all head and neck squamous cell cancers. The leaves of the Neem tree (Azadirachta indica) have been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for centuries to treat numerous oral maladies and are known to have significant anti-inflammatory properties. We hypothesize that a highly pure super critical CO2 Neem leaf extract (SCNE) prevents initiation and progression of OSCC via downregulation of intra-tumor pro-inflammatory pathways, which promote tumorigenesis. Hence, we investigated the anticancer effects of SCNE using in vitro and in vivo platforms. OSCC cell lines (SCC4, Cal27, and HSC3) were treated with SCNE while inflammation, proliferation, and migration were analyzed over time. SCNE treatment significantly inhibited OSCC cell proliferation and migration and reduced MMP activity in vitro, suggesting its potential to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis. The preventive effects of SCNE in ectopic xenograft and 4NQO-1 (4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide) carcinogen-induced mouse models of OSCC were also evaluated. Indeed, xenografted nude mice showed significant reduction of OSCC tumor volumes. Likewise, SCNE significantly reduced the incidence of tongue dysplasia in the 4NQO-1 OSCC initiation model. In both OSCC animal models, SCNE significantly depressed circulating pro-cancer inflammatory cytokines (host and tumor-secreted) including NFkB, COX2, IL-1, IL-6, TNFα, and IFNγ. In addition, we demonstrate that SCNE downregulates STAT3 and AKT expression and activity in vitro. We also demonstrate that the primary active component, nimbolide (NIM), has significant anticancer activity in established OSCC xenografts. Lastly, we show that SCNE induces an M1 phenotype in tumor associated macrophages (TAMS) in vivo. Taken together, these data strongly support SCNE as means of preventing OSCC via downregulation of pro-cancer inflammatory cascades and NIM as a potential new therapy for existing OSCC.

Polygodial, a terpenenoid dialdehyde isolated from Polygonum hydropiper L., is a known TRPV1 agonist. In this investigation a series of polygodial analogues were prepared and investigated for TRPV1 agonistic and anticancer activities. These experiments led to the identification of 9-epipolygodial, possessing antiproliferative potency significantly exceeding that of polygodial. Epipolygodial maintained potency against apoptosis-resistant cancer cells as well as those displaying the MDR phenotype. In addition, a chemical feasibility for the previously proposed mechanism of action of polygodial, involving the Paal-Knorr pyrrole formation with a lysine residue on the target protein, was demonstrated through the synthesis of a stable polygodial pyrrole derivative. These studies reveal rich chemical and biological properties associated with polygodial and its direct derivatives. They should inspire further work in this area aimed at the development of new pharmacological agents or exploration of novel mechanisms of covalent modification of biological molecules with natural products.

Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. OSCC invasion into the lymph nodes and mandible correlates with increased rates of recurrence and lower overall survival. Tumors that infiltrate mandibular bone proliferate rapidly and induce bone destruction. While survival rates have increased 12% over the last 20 years, this improvement is attributed to general advances in prevention, earlier detection, and updated treatments. Additionally, despite decades of research, the molecular mechanisms of OSCC invasion into the mandible are not well understood. Parathyroid Hormone-related Protein (PTHrP), has been shown to be essential for mandibular invasion in OSCC animal models, and our previous studies demonstrate that the transcription factor Gli2 increases PTHrP expression in tumor metastasis to bone. In OSCC, we investigated regulators of Gli2, including Hedgehog, TGFβ, and Wnt signaling to elucidate how PTHrP expression is controlled. Here we show that canonical Hedgehog and TGFβ signaling cooperate to increase PTHrP expression and mandibular invasion in a Gli2-dependent manner. Additionally, in an orthotopic model of mandibular invasion, inhibition of Gli2 using shRNA resulted in a significant decrease of both PTHrP expression and bony invasion. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that multiple signaling pathways converge on Gli2 to mediate PTHrP expression and bony invasion, highlighting Gli2 as a therapeutic target to prevent bony invasion in OSCC.

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Many types of cancer, including glioma, melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), among others, are resistant to proapoptotic stimuli and thus poorly responsive to current therapies based on the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells. The current investigation describes the synthesis and anticancer evaluation of unique C12-Wittig derivatives of polygodial, a terpenenoid dialdehyde isolated from Persicaria hydropiper (L.) Delabre. These compounds were found to undergo an unprecedented pyrrole formation with primary amines in a chemical model system, a reaction that could be relevant in the biological environment and lead to the pyrrolation of lysine residues in the target proteins. The anticancer evaluation of these compounds revealed their promising activity against cancer cells displaying various forms of drug resistance, including resistance to proapoptotic agents. Mechanistic studies indicated that compared to the parent polygodial, which displays fixative general cytotoxic action against human cells, the C12-Wittig derivatives exerted their antiproliferative action mainly through cytostatic effects explaining their activity against apoptosis-resistant cancer cells. The possibility for an intriguing covalent modification of proteins through a novel pyrrole formation reaction, as well as useful activities against drug resistant cancer cells, make the described polygodial-derived chemical scaffold an interesting new chemotype warranting thorough investigation.