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Preliminary evaluation on the beneficial effects of pioglitazone in the treatment of endometrial cancer

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Abstract

Endometrial cancer (EMC) is one of the complicated gynecological cancers, affecting more than three million women worldwide. Anticancer strategies such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery are found to be ineffective and are associated with patient incompliances. The aim of the present study is to repurpose non-oncological drug, i.e., Pioglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) agonist, in the treatment of endometrial cancer. The study groups consist of 50 female Swiss albino mice, out of which 40 had endometrial cancer induced with N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) and estradiol hexadrobenzoate (EHB). The other groups received saline, EHB, paclitaxel, and different test doses of pioglitazones. Different preliminary parameters such as weekly body weight, mean survival time, percentage increase in life span, and uterine tissue weight were analyzed along with histopathological analysis. We observed a significant change in weekly body weight, improvement in percentage life span, and partial restoration of uterine tissue weight to normal compared to a standard drug, paclitaxel. In the present preliminary evaluation, we have identified that pioglitazone exhibited a significant dose-dependent anticancer activity against ENU- and EHB-induced endometrial cancer, compared to the standard paclitaxel.

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Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Dr. Praveen T.K. for his continuous guidance and support throughout this project. My sincere thanks to Mr. Ravi Kiran for his suggestions and help in performing the experiment and preparing the manuscript.

Funding

The authors would like to thank the Department of Science and Technology-Fund for Improvement of Science and Technology Infrastructure in Universities and Higher Educational Institutions (DST-FIST), New Delhi, to support our department (Grant No. SR/FST/LSI-574/2013).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Rocklands, Ooty, Tamil Nadu, 643001, India

    Garikapati Kusuma Kumari, Ammu V. V. V. Ravi Kiran & Praveen T. Krishnamurthy

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  1. Garikapati Kusuma Kumari
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  2. Ammu V. V. V. Ravi Kiran
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Contributions

Study Design: Kusuma Kumari Garikapati; Praveen T. Krishnamurthy. Data Collection: Kusuma Kumari Garikapati, Ravi Kiran Ammu V. V. V. Statistical Analysis: Praveen T. Krishnamurthy, Kusuma Kumari Garikapati. Data Interpretation: Praveen T. Krishnamurthy, Kusuma Kumari Garikapati, Ravi Kiran Ammu V. V. V. Manuscript Preparation: Kusuma Kumari Garikapati, Praveen T. Krishnamurthy. Literature Search: Kusuma Kumari Garikapati.

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Correspondence to Praveen T. Krishnamurthy.

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Kumari, G.K., Kiran, A.V.V.V.R. & Krishnamurthy, P.T. Preliminary evaluation on the beneficial effects of pioglitazone in the treatment of endometrial cancer. Med Oncol 38, 71 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-021-01521-x

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