Commonly Prescribed Anticoagulants Exert Anticancer Effects in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells In Vitro

Abstract

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common head and neck cancer. With anticoagulant usage on the rise, it is important to elucidate their potential effects on tumour biology and interactions with chemotherapeutics. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of anticoagulants on OSCC cell lines and their interactions with the drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Cell proliferation was assessed using an MTS in vitro assay in two human OSCC cell lines (H357/H400) and in normal oral keratinocytes (OKF6) treated with the 5-FU (0.2/1/5/10 µg/mL), conventional anticoagulants warfarin (1/5/10/20 µM) and heparin (5/20/80 U), as well as four new oral anti-coagulants, dabigatran (5/..