ABSTRACT
Objectives: To investigate the anticancer potential of dithiocarbamate (DTC) on oral cancer cells. Methods: Human oral squamous carcinoma cell lines, HSC-3 and HSC-4 were used to assess cytotoxicity by MTT assay. Apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry analysis, while the expression of pro-apoptotic genes PUMA and Caspase-9 was measured using quantitative RT-PCR. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Dunnett's test to compare treatment and control groups. Results: DTC reduced the viability of oral cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Flow cytometry revealed an increase in apoptotic cells, which was supported by a significant upregulation of PUMA and Caspase-9 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: DTC demonstrates significant pro-apoptotic activity against HSC-3 and HSC-4 cell lines, highlighting its potential as a novel chemotherapeutic agent.
