Sesamin Suppresses Ovarian Cancer Progression via Modulation of Wnt/β-Catenin and Associated Oncogenic Pathways

Maheswari Jayaveeran, Heera; Rajagopal, Ponnulakshmi; Parthiban, Manju; Jayaraman, Selvaraj; Varalakshmi V, Sureka; Chandrasekaran, Krithika

doi:10.31557/APJCP.2026.27.6.2149

Sesamin Suppresses Ovarian Cancer Progression via Modulation of Wnt/β-Catenin and Associated Oncogenic Pathways

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

¹ Central Research Laboratory, Meenakshi Ammal Dental College, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research, Deemed to be University, Chennai-600095, India.

² Centre of Molecular Medicine and Diagnostics (COMManD), Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College & Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai-600077, India.

³ Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research, Deemed to be University. West K. K. Nagar, Chennai - 600078, Tamil Nadu, India.

10.31557/APJCP.2026.27.6.2149

Abstract

Objective: The current research aimed to explore the molecular pathway of sesamin in controlling the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and associated oncogenic regulators in ovarian cancer cells. Methods: Molecular docking was conducted to assess sesamin’s binding activity toward major signaling proteins (Wnt, β-catenin, GSK3β, TGF-β). Functional confirmation was performed using quantitative PCR (qPCR) to quantify gene expression following a 48-hour treatment of ovarian cancer cells with sesamin. Result: Docking simulations revealed strong binding affinities, particularly with Wnt (−9.19 kcal/mol), supported by hydrogen bond interactions. qPCR results showed significant downregulation of Wnt (50%), TGF-β (40%), GSK3β (25%), and β-catenin transcripts compared to the control (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Sesamin potently inhibits several oncogenic regulators within the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, positioning it as a potential multi-target natural therapeutic for ovarian cancer. These findings support sesamin as a promising candidate for further preclinical and clinical investigation, particularly as an adjuvant therapy to overcome drug resistance and limit tumor progression.

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