Marine-derived antimicrobial peptide piscidin-1 triggers extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma through reactive oxygen species production and inhibits angiogenesis

Free Radic Biol Med. 2024 Apr 26:S0891-5849(24)00422-2. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.04.235. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTCancer of the head and neck encompasses a wide range of cancers, including oral and oropharyngeal cancers. Oral cancer is often diagnosed at advanced stages and has a dismal prognosis. Piscidin-1, a marine antimicrobial peptide (AMP) containing approximately 22 amino acids, also exhibits significant anticancer properties. We investigated the possible anti-oral cancer effects of piscidin-1 and clarified the mechanisms underlying these effects. We treated the oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines OC2 and SCC4 with Piscidin-1. Cell viability and the expression of different hallmark apoptotic molecules, including reactive oxygen species (ROS), were tested using the appropriate MTT assay, flow cytometry and western blotting assays, and human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) wound healing, migration, and tube formation (angiogenesis) assays. Piscidin-1 increases cleaved caspase 3 levels to induce apoptosis. Piscidin-1 also increases ROS levels and intensifies oxidative stress in the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, causing mitochondrial dysfunction. Additionally, it decreases the oxygen consumption rates and activity of mitochondrial complexes I-V. As expected, the antioxidants MitoTEMPOL and N-acetylcysteine reduce Piscidin-1-induced ROS generation and intracellular calcium accumulation. Piscidin-1 also inhibits matrix metalloproteinase (M...
Source: Free Radical Biology and Medicine - Category: Biology Authors: Source Type: research