Impact of apigenin and kaempferol on human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Apigenin and kaempferol are plant flavonoids with reported chemopreventive activities. This study aimed to determine the effect of apigenin and kaempferol on cell viability in cultured cells derived from the pharynx (FaDu cell line), an oral cavity carcinoma (PCI-13 cell line), and a metastatic lymph node (PCI-15B cell line) and in explanted FaDu cells.


METHODS
The in vitro viability of FaDu, PCI-13, and PCI-15B cells treated with apigenin and kaempferol was determined. Tumor growth of FaDu explants was evaluated in athymic mice that were gavaged with either apigenin or kaempferol.


RESULTS
Although apigenin and kaempferol treatment decreased viability of cells in vitro, cell-type-dependent differences in responsiveness were observed. In vivo apigenin treatment significantly increased the tumor size of FaDu explants. Results obtained using kaempferol were similar.


CONCLUSIONS
The in vitro decrease in FaDu cell viability by apigenin and kaempferol was not observed in in vivo tumor explants using the conditions described in this study.
Professor, Department of Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA. Electronic address: hollie.swanson@uky.edu.
Hollie I
HI
Swanson
Professor, Department of Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA.
Eun-Young
EY
Choi
Partner, Mark Veronneau Plastics and ENT, Prestonsburg, KY, USA.
W Brian
WB
Helton
Professor, Graduate Center for Toxicology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA.
C Gary
CG
Gairola
Professor, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA.
Joseph
J
Valentino
D000818:Animals; D047310:Apigenin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D044949:Kaempferols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude
D044949:Kaempferols; C006552:kaempferol; D047310:Apigenin