INVESTIGATING THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS UNDERLYING THE ANTI-CANCER ACTIVITIES OF DIOSMETIN IN COLORECTAL CANCER CELLS: AN IN VITRO STUDY

Abstract

Diosmetin, a bioflavonoid isolated from citrus fruits, has been reported to have cytotoxic effects against various types of cancer. Although Diosmetin is found to have cytotoxic effects in Colorectal Cancer (CRC) cells, the molecular mechanism remained poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the anti-cancer activity of Diosmetin in the human CRC HCT116 cell line. The results revealed that Diosmetin exerts significant cytotoxic effects on HCT116 cells as indicated by decreased cell viability and proliferation, increased DNA damage, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), cell cycle arrest, and induction of apoptosis. Moreover, Diosmetin treatment downregulated the expression of mesenchymal markers vimentin, snail, and slug and upregulated the expression of the epithelial marker, Ecadherin. These findings demonstrate that Diosmetin inhibits proliferation, induces apoptosis, and suppress Endothelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in HCT116 cells. Thus, Diosmetin can be used as a complementary therapeutic agent for CRC treatment and prevention.