Abstract 2583: Effects of garlic compound diallyl trisulfide on head and neck cancer cells and cancer stem cells in vitro and in vivo

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the seventh most prevalent cancer worldwide. The five-year survival rate is less than fifty percent despite significant advances in therapeutic approaches. Early diagnosis and treatment can help in prevention and disease management. Studies have reported that dietary intake of Allium vegetables or processed garlic that contains diallyl trisulfide (DATS) lowered the risk of various cancers. However, it has not been investigated for its efficacy and molecular mechanisms against HNC. Herein, we investigated the effect of DATS on HNC UMSCC-22A, UMSCC-22B, and Cal33 cells in vitro. DATS treatment significantly reduced the cell viability of HNC cells. DATS induced significant G2/M phase cell cycle arrest, which resulted in the accumulation of cyclin B1 and induced levels of p21. DATS-induced M phase arrest was attenuated by N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) treatment, which suggested that DATS mediates growth-suppressive effects by reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. DATS treatment induced mitochondrial dysfunction. DATS induced ROS production led to apoptosis, which was attenuated by NAC treatment. DATS increased proapoptotic protein cleaved caspase-3, cleaved PARP, and Bax/Bcl2 ratio and decreased the levels of antiapoptotic protein XIAP. DATS induced ROS mediated DNA damage which was attenuated by NAC treatment. Further, DATS mediated increase in level of cleaved PARP, accumulation of Cyclin B1 and decrease in XIAP was attenuated by NAC treatment. DATS (1-10 μM) treatment resulted in inhibition of self renewal of HNC cancer stem cells (HNC CSCs) sphere formation. DATS reduced aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) activity and CD133high/CD44high HNC CSC fraction. DATS-treated SCID mice tumor xenograft also revealed it9s in vivo efficacy on HNC CSCs. Further, DATS treatment reduced the tumor weight, volume and reduced the levels of Ki67 cell proliferation marker in UMSCC22B head and neck cancer CD1 nude mice tumor xenograft. DATS treatment decreased tumor incidence and inhibited tumor promotion and progression in twenty two week C57BL6 4-Nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO)-induced mouse oral carcinogenesis model. DATS treatment reduced the cell proliferation marker Ki67 and increased TUNEL positive apoptotic cells in treatment groups compared to control group. Collectively, DATS inhibited cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest, and cell death via apoptosis involving DNA damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, and ROS generation. DATS treatment also reduced the HNC CSC fraction, sphere formation and ALDH1 activity. More importantly, DATS inhibited cancer incidence and progression in 4-NQO oral carcinogenesis study. Further, DATS inhibited HNC tumor growth and HNC CSC fraction in vivo. Thus, DATS could be a potential chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agent against head and neck cancer. Citation Format: Sivapar V. Mathan, Su-Hyeong Kim, Shivendra V. Singh, Rana P. Singh. Effects of garlic compound diallyl trisulfide on head and neck cancer cells and cancer stem cells in vitro and in vivo [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 2583.