Anticancer properties of the fatty acid synthase inhibitor TVB-3166 on oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines

Abstract

<div lang="en" class="abs"><p class="abs_header">Abstract</p><p><em>Objective:</em> Fatty acid synthase (FASN) is overexpressed in several human cancers, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). TVB-3166 is a recently described FASN inhibitor with antitumor effects and potential clinical relevance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of TVB-3166 on OSCC cell lines.</p><p><em>Materials and methods:</em> The OSCC cell line SCC-9 modified to express ZsGreen (ZsG) (SCC-9 ZsG) and its <em>in vivo</em> selected metastatic derivative LN-1A were used to evaluate anticancer properties of TVB-3166. Cell viability was determined using MTT assays and proliferation determined by cell counting in a Neubauer chamber. Cell death and cell cycle progression were analyzed by Annexin V-PE/7-ADD-PerCP labeling and PI staining, respectively. Cell migration was assayed by scratch assays and cell adhesion using myogel. Production of FASN, p-AKT, CPT1-α, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers were examined by Western blotting.</p><p><em>Results:</em> TVB-3166 significantly reduced cell viability and proliferation, promoted cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and increased adhesion to myogel in both OSCC cell lines. Finally, the drug reduced SCC-9 ZsG migration.</p><p><em>Conclusion:</em> Our results demonstrated that TVB-3166 has anticancer effects on both SCC-9 ZsG and its metastatic version LN-1A, which are worthy of investigation in preclinical models for OSCC.</p></div>