Objectives This study aimed to examine and compare the anticancer effects and apoptotic potentials of both Najahaje (NH) and the horned viper Cerastescerastes (CC) venoms on Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) cell line.
Methods The effect of crude NH and CC venoms on larynx (Hep2) cancer cell line was investigated using MTT cytotoxicity assay, Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry and Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis for caspase-3 expression.
Results venom treated groups NH and CC showed low IC50 values, decreased viability percentage of cancer cells, decreased percentage of DNA content in G0-G1 and S phases, increased percentage of DNA content in G2-M and pre G1 (total apoptosis) phases, increased percentage of cells in early and late apoptotic phases in addition to up-regulation of caspase-3 levels in comparison to negative control.
ConclusionThe present study clearly demonstrated high success rate of crude venoms of both Egyptian NH and CC and their promising efficacy against HNSCC cells, which highlights their possible anticancer effect and apoptotic potential Moreover, this study suggests the possibility of using NH and CC crude venoms as potential novel complementary or alternative therapies for HNSCC.