Anti-tumoral effect of propanolol on oral cancer cell lines

• Grant number: 17/18650-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2017
• End date: July 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Dental Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Sandra Helena Penha de Oliveira
• Grantee: Caroline Miho Shibuya
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia (FOA). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araçatuba. Araçatuba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Propranolol is a non-selective beta-blocker widely employed in the treatment of arterial hypertension. Curiously, strong evidence suggests that this drug also exerts anti-tumoral activity against different kinds of neoplasia. To our knowledge, only one study explored this subject in oral cancer. Thus, our aims are to investigate the potential of propranolol in the combat of oral cancer cell lines and to characterize its effects and molecular mechanisms. Oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines (OSCC) SCC-9 and SCC-25 will be treated with different doses and periods of propranolol and their cellular viability will be assessed by the colorimetric assay 1-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-3,5-diphenylformazan, Thiazolyl blue formazan (MTT). To investigate the synergism between propranolol and cisplatin and/or 5-fluorouracil, OSCC cell lines will be challenged with the inhibitory concentration (IC) 15 or IC30 of each drug and the cellular viability will be checked by MTT 24 hours after the treatment. To explore the mechanisms of action involved in the anti-neoplastic effect of propranolol, the phosphorylation status of the proteins ERK1/2, Akt, p38 e JNK will be evaluated after the treatment with the drug by western blotting. Finally, the impact of propranolol on SCC-9 and SCC-25 migratory activity will be verified by the wound-healing assay. All the experiments will be performed in triplicate and, at least, twice independently. To compare the groups, one-way ANOVA or Student's t test will be used and p<0.05 will indicate statistical significance. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SHIBUYA, CAROLINE MIHO; TJIOE, KELLEN CRISTINE; PENHA OLIVEIRA, SANDRA HELENA; BERNABE, DANIEL GALERA. Propranolol inhibits cell viability and expression of the pro-tumorigenic proteins Akt, NF-KB, and VEGF in oral squamous cell carcinoma. ARCHIVES OF ORAL BIOLOGY, v. 136, p. 9-pg., 2022-04-01. (16/25255-0, 16/00051-2, 17/18650-2)