Regulatory Effect of <i>Ficus carica</i> Latex on Cell Cycle Progression in Human Papillomavirus-Positive Cervical Cancer Cell Lines: Insights from Gene Expression Analysis


Cakir M. O., BİLGE U., Ghanbari A., Ashrafi G. H.

PHARMACEUTICALS, cilt.16, sa.12, 2023 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 16 Sayı: 12
  • Basım Tarihi: 2023
  • Doi Numarası: 10.3390/ph16121723
  • Dergi Adı: PHARMACEUTICALS
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, CAB Abstracts, Veterinary Science Database, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Akdeniz Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Cervical cancer presents a significant global health concern with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) identified as the main cause of this cancer. Although current treatment methods for cervical cancer can eliminate lesions, preventing metastatic spread and minimizing tissue damage remain a major challenge. Therefore, the development of a safer and innovative therapeutic approach is of the utmost importance. Natural products like fig latex, derived from the Ficus carica tree, have demonstrated promising anti-cancer properties when tested on cervical cancer cell lines. However, the specific mechanisms by which fig latex exerts its effects are still unknown. In this study, we conducted RNA-Seq analysis to explore how fig latex may counteract carcinogenesis in HPV-positive cervical cancer cell lines, namely, CaSki (HPV type 16-positive) and HeLa (HPV type 18-positive). Our results from this investigation indicate that fig latex influences the expression of genes associated with the development and progression of cervical cancer, including pathways related to "Nonsense-Mediated Decay (NMD)", "Cell Cycle regulation", "Transcriptional Regulation by TP53", and "Apoptotic Process". This selective impact of fig latex on cancer-related pathways suggests a potential novel therapeutic approach for HPV-related cervical cancer.