Modulating effect of cromolyn on Akt, MAPK, ERK and DNMT expression pattern in 7,12-dimethylbenz (a) anthracene induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis

Abstract

The present study explores the modulating efficacy of cromolyn on the expression pattern of a serine/threonine - specific protein kinase (Akt), mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK), extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) and DNA methyl transferase (DNMT) in 7, 12-dimethylbenz (a) anthracene (DMBA) induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis. Oral tumors were developed in the hamster buccal pouches of golden Syrian hamsters using topical application of 0.5% DMBA in liquid paraffin (three times a week for 14 weeks). Though cromolyn completely inhibited the formation of DMBA induced tumors in the buccal pouches of hamsters, precancerous lesions such as hyperplasia, hyperkeratosis and dysplasia were evident. Cromolyn also modulated the expression pattern of Akt, MAPK, ERK and DNMT towards tumor inhibition as evidenced by the absence of tumors in DMBA + cromolyn treated hamsters (Western blotting analysis). Thus, the antitumor potential of cromolyn might be partly due to its modulating effect on the expression pattern of above mentioned cancer related biomarkers.