Astilbin Induces Apoptosis in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma through p53 Reactivation and Mdm-2 Inhibition

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a frequently occurring malignancy in the head and neck region. The most commonly mutated gene in OSCC is the tumor suppressor gene p53 (TP53), linked to lower survival and treatment resistance in OSCC patients. Astilbin is a flavonoid amongst several herbal treatments with a variety of pharmacological actions mainly including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer characteristics. This study evaluated the effects of astilbin on proliferation of OSCC cell lines SCC90 and SCC4 (bearing a p53 mutation) in relevance to p53 and Mdm-2 pathways. Astilbin inhibited the proliferation of SCC4 and SCC90 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The IC50 values for both the cell lines were about 75 μM for astilbin. A p53 activator (RITA) was used to determine the effects of astilbin on p53 activity, and the results demonstrated synergistic reduction in cell growth. However, when combined with pifithrin-α (a p53 inhibitor), astilbin demonstrated a strong inhibition of its response. Astilbin reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential in SCC4 cells, which is a sign of apoptotic activity. Astilbin decreased the amounts of Mdm-2 (negative regulator of p53) and increased the expression of the p53 gene and protein. In a p53-dependent manner, astilbin suppressed the ability of SCC4 cells to form colonies and heal wounds. This was followed by the induction of mitochondrial intrinsic apoptosis via the activation of caspases 9 and 3, cleavage of PARP, and the suppression of pro-apoptotic Bid. Astilbin-induced p53-mediated apoptosis in OSCC cells as herbal medicinal ingredients.