Hydroquinone Exhibits In Vitro and In Vivo Anti-Cancer Activity in Cancer Cells and Mice

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 19; no. 3; p. 903
• Main Authors: Byeon, Se Eun, Yi, Young-Su, Lee, Jongsung, Yang, Woo Seok, Kim, Ji Hye, Kim, Jooyoung, Hong, Suntaek, Kim, Jong-Hoon, Cho, Jae Youl
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 19-03-2018; MDPI
• Subjects: Adenosine; Angiogenesis; Animal models; anti-angiogenesis; anti-metastasis; anti-tumorigenic response; Azoxymethane; Benzene; Biocompatibility; Buthionine sulfoximine; Cancer; Cell death; Colon; cytotoxicity; Dextran; Embryos; Hydroquinone; Immunomodulation; In vivo methods and tests; Inflammation; Melanoma; Metastases; Neuroprotection; Reagents; Synergistic effect; Toxicity; anti-tumorigenic response; anti-metastasis; cytotoxicity; anti-angiogenesis; hydroquinone
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms19030903

Hydroquinone (HQ, 1,4-benzenediol) is a hydroxylated benzene metabolite with various biological activities, including anti-oxidative, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory functions. However, the anti-cancer activity of HQ is not well understood. In this study, the in vitro and in vivo anti-cancer activity of HQ was investigated in various cancer cells and tumor-bearing mouse models. HQ significantly induced the death of A431, SYF, B16F10, and MDA-MB-231 cells and also showed a synergistic effect on A431 cell death with other anti-cancer agents, such as adenosine-2',3'-dialdehyde and buthionine sulfoximine. In addition, HQ suppressed angiogenesis in fertilized chicken embryos. Moreover, HQ prevented lung metastasis of melanoma cells in mice in a dose-dependent manner without toxicity and adverse effects. HQ (10 mg/kg) also suppressed the generation of colon and reduced the thickness of colon tissues in azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate-injected mice. This study strongly suggests that HQ possesses in vitro and in vivo anti-cancer activity and provides evidence that HQ could be developed as an effective and safe anti-cancer drug.