Bitter Melon Prevents the Development of 4-NQO-Induced Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma in an Immunocompetent Mouse Model by Modulating Immune Signaling.

ABSTRACT: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide, and tobacco is one of the most common factors for HNSCC of the oral cavity. We have previously observed that bitter melon (Momordica charantia) extract (BME) exerts antiproliferative activity against several cancers including HNSCC. In this study, we investigated the preventive role of BME in 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO) carcinogen-induced HNSCC. We observed that BME feeding significantly reduced the incidence of 4-NQO-induced oral cancer in a mouse model. Histologic analysis suggested control 4-NQO-treated mouse tongues showed neoplastic changes ranging from moderate dysplasia to invasive squamous cell carcinoma, whereas no significant dysplasia was observed in the BME-fed mouse tongues. We also e

SUBMITTER: Sur S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5882513 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature