Boric acid as a promising agent in the treatment of ovarian cancer: Molecular mechanisms

•Boric acid is the predominant form of Boron in the environment.•Boric acid induces apoptosis by using the mitochondrial pathway rather than through the cell cycle in ovarian cancer cell line MDAH-2774.•Cell invasion, migration and colony formation capacity in ovarian cancer cells were reduced.•Cell death was induced by increasing oxidative stress process in ovarian cancer cells. The aim of this study is to determine the therapeutic effects of boric acid cell proliferation, invasion, migration, colony formation, cell cycle and apoptosis mechanisms in ovarian cancer cell line under in vitro conditions. MDAH-2774 ovarian cancer cells were employed. Real-time PCR test was used to investigate changes in genes and proteins of cell cycle and apoptosis and identified miRNAs under the addition of boric acid. The apoptosis rates were calculated by TUNEL assay. Matrigel invasion, colony formation and Wound healing tests were used to determine invasion and migration. Oxidative stress index value was calculated for oxidative stress. Boric acid inhibited cell proliferation, invasion, migration and colony formation, but induces apoptosis and oxidative stress. Also, the expression of miRNA-21, miRNA-200a, miRNA-130a and mi-RNA-224 (which are indicators of poor prognosis of ovarian cancer) decreased significantly. The potential of boric acid as a natural molecule may supports its effectiveness in reducing adverse effects arising from conventional ovarian cancer treatments.