Abstract
Background
Plant-derived phytochemicals have been reported to exert anticancer activity. This study investigated the antitumor role of silymarin (Silybum marianum) (SMN) and its molecular targets in Ehrlich solid tumor xenografts in vivo.
Methods and results
Female Swiss albino mice were divided into three groups (of five animals each) that were engrafted with Ehrlich tumor (ET) cells with or without SMN treatment. The 3rd groups treated with DMSO only vehicle control group. A significant reduction in animal body mass and tumor volume/weight were observed in xenografted mice treated with SMN. SMN modulated oxidative stress in tumors while enhancing the antioxidant levels in mouse serum. SMN activated both mitochondrial and death receptor-related apoptosis pathways and induced cell cycle arrest, marked by a significant downregulation of cyclin D1 in SMN-treated tumors. Significant decreases in RNA content and protein expression levels of Ki-67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen were observed in ET cells. Additionally, SMN downregulated vascular endothelial growth factor and nuclear factor-kappa B levels indicating anti-angiogenesis activity of this agent. SMN upregulated the expression of E-cadherin in tumor tissue suggesting, that SMN has potential ability to inhibit metastasis. Tumor tissue from SMN-treated animals showed a remarkable degeneration and reduction in the neoplastic cell density.
Conclusions
The anticancer effect was associated with apparent apoptosis in neoplastic cells with abundance of multifocal necrotic areas. SMN was found to inhibit ET growth via enhancing apoptosis, inhibition of cell division and reduction in angiogenesis in vivo.
Graphical abstract
Hypothetical scheme of SMN antitumor effects (mechanism of signaling) in solid ET in vivo. SMN anticancer effect may be mediated by molecular mediators that affect proliferation, cell cycle activity, apoptotic pathways, angiogenesis, and metastasis.
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Data availability
All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article.
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by MEA, MAA, AIO, DAE, MAE, OAA. The first draft of the manuscript was written and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Amer, M.E., Amer, M.A., Othman, A.I. et al. Silymarin inhibits the progression of Ehrlich solid tumor via targeting molecular pathways of cell death, proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis in female mice. Mol Biol Rep 49, 4659–4671 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-022-07315-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-022-07315-2