Effects of fusarochromanone on mitochondrial function in squamous cell carcinoma and salivary gland carcinoma

It is known that cancer cells undergo aerobic glycolysis and therefore have a decreased oxidative phosphorylation an increase the level of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in what is called as the Warburg Effect. As both of these physiological processes occur in the mitochondria, this organelle shows potential as a target for terminating cancer cell growth. Fusarochromanone (FC-101) is a fungal metabolite that shows anti-cancer activity by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting the growth of cancer cells in-vitro by the induction of ROS in the cells. In our project, we studied the effect of FC-101 on the mitochondrial bioenergetics of the head and neck cancer cell lines SCC-40 (Squamous Cell Carcinoma) and Papillary Cystadenoma Lymphomatosum (PCL) by using western blots and the Agilent Seahorse XF Cell Mito Stress Test. We also studied the migratory capacity of PCL cells using wound-healing assays. A wound-healing assay mimics cell migration during wound healing in-vivo. The results we obtained from this project indicate an increase in the amount of oxidative phosphorylation taking place in the mitochondria of PCL and SCC-40 cancer cell lines, as well as a decrease in the rate of glycolysis. As a result, fusarochromanone is shown to cause an increase in the amount of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in the mitochondria of these cancer cell lines and thus causes an increase in mitochondrial bioenergetics. The data serves to strengthen the potential of FC-101 as an anti-cancer drug.