Effect of oil palm phenolics (OPP) on pancreatic cancer (PC) in transgenic mouse model (KPC)

Abstract

Patients of PC have poor prognosis in part due to poor therapeutic response. Phytochemicals may be beneficial against cancer progression. OPP, a water‐soluble extract from African oil palm, Elaeis guineensis, has known anticancer properties. This study compared the effect of OPP with gemcitabine, the current drug treatment, in PC mouse model.MethodsKPC (KrasLSL.G12D/+; p53R172H/+; PdxCretg/+) mice were divided into groups: KC (control diet), KP (5% OPP diet), KG (gemcitabine), KPG (5% OPP diet + gemcitabine). Littermates without mutations served as controls: CC (control diet) and CP (5% OPP diet). PC stage was confirmed by staining tissues with Hematoxylin and Eosin. Blood smears were examined for changes in lymphocytes. Change in gene expression was evaluated by real time RT‐PCR.ResultsA significant decrease in Pancreatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia (PanIN) 1, 2, and 3 was observed in 5% OPP diet and gemcitabine groups. Blood smears showed a 4% increase in natural killer (NK) cells in the KP group relative to the KC group. Compared to the KC group, expression of MMP9, CCND1, and Bcl2 genes was down regulated in KP, KG, and KPG groups, with KPG showing the most significance.Taken together, the results show that addition of 5% OPP in the diet slowed down tumor progression in KPC mice, possibly via modulation of inflammatory, apoptotic and metastatic pathways. Further analysis is underway to confirm these results.Grant Funding Source: Malaysian Palm Oil Board