Inhibition of stemness and EMT by taxifolin ruthenium-p-cymene complex via downregulating the SOX2 and OCT4 expression on lung cancer

Lung carcinoma is perhaps the most often reported cancer incidence throughout the world. The flavonoid metal complexes have exhibited a potential chemotherapeutic effect. This study investigated the chemotherapeutic effect of taxifolin ruthenium-p-cymene complex against lung carcinoma through MTT assay, transwell migration assay, sphere formation assay, western blot, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and TUNEL assay. The in silico study determined the target proteins of the complex. The synthesized organometallic complex was characterized via various spectroscopical techniques. The complex exhibited strong binding affinity for PI3K, EGFR, and β-catenin. The complex promoted apoptosis and inhibited the colony formation of the cancer cells. Moreover, the cancer cell migration and cancer stemness were reduced with decreased SOX2 and OCT4 expression. The complex induced cell cycle arrest at sub G0/G1 phase, S phase and G2/M phase and promoted caspase-3 mediated apoptosis. The in vivo study demonstrated successful restoration of lung tissue due to the treatment with the complex in benzo-α-pyrene induced lung cancer model. Additionally, the expression of p53 and caspase-3 was increased with significant downregulation of Akt, mTOR and β-catenin. In conclusion, the complex inhibited cancer cell viability, stemness, and EMT in both in vitro and in vivo model systems through the alteration of PI3K/Akt/mTOR/EGFR pathway and expression of stem cell markers including SOX2 and OCT4 that eventually abrogated the EMT mediated metastasis of cancer cells.