Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the prime kind of human
malignancy with a great mortality ratio and a deprived prognosis due to its high level of relapse and
metastasis. Recently reported is that
betanin exerts a preventive role and cytotoxic activity on numerous
cancer cells.
Betanin comprises the
betalain group, which is a highly bioavailable
antioxidant. However, the precise molecular actions of
betanin in the OSCC cells are yet to be elucidated. It may be the first report on the antiproliferative and apoptotic molecular mechanisms of
betanin on OSCC. The current study intended to explore the
betanin activity and its underlying mechanisms on SCC131 and SCC4 cells. The cytotoxicity assay, intracellular ROS,
MMP, cell apoptosis, and inflammatory mediators of
betanin activity on SCC131 and SCC4 cells were evaluated by MTT assay,
DCFH-DA, Rh-123, AO/EB,
DAPI, PI, analysis of western blot and RT-PCR. The upshots indicated that
betanin restrains the SCC131 cells proliferation,
MMP and
inflammation, whereas induces apoptosis via the enhanced ROS level of SCC131 and SCC4 cells in a dose-dependent mode. Also,
betanin-treated OSCC cells reduce inflammatory and apoptotic signaling pathways. The above-mentioned results exposed that
betanin can inhibit cell viability,
MMP,
inflammation and enhanced apoptosis via the expression of NF-κB/PI3K/Akt pathways. Thus, our current findings provided an innovative vision into the protective effect against OSCC.