A Synthetic Hydrazone Derivative Acts as an Apoptotic Inducer with Chemopreventive Activity on a Tongue Cancer Cell Line

One of the main aims of cancer chemopreventive studies is to identify ideal apoptotic inducers, especiallyexamples which can induce early apoptotic activity. The present investigation focused on chemopreventive effectsof a hydrazone derivative using an in vitro model with tongue cancer cells. Alteration in cell morphology wasascertained, along with stage in the cell cycle and proliferation, while living-dead status of the cells was confirmedunder a confocal microscope. In addition, cytotoxicity test was performed using normal mouse skin fibroblastcells. The results showed that the compound inhibited the growth of tongue cancer cells with an inhibitoryconcentration (IC50) of 0.01 mg/ml in a dose and time-dependent manner, with a two-fold increase in earlyapoptotic activity and G0G1 phase cell cycle arrest compared to untreated cells. Exposure to the compound alsoresulted in alterations of cell morphology including vacuolization and cellular shrinkage. Confocal microscopeanalysis using calcein and ethidium staining confirmed that the compound caused cell death, whereas no cytotoxiceffects on normal mouse skin fibroblast cells were observed. In conclusion, the findings in this study suggestedthat the hydrazone derivative acts as an apoptotic inducer with anti-proliferative chemopreventive activity intongue cancer cells.