Abstract 3208: Immunomodulatory potential of mormodica balsamina crude extract as an immune checkpoint inhibitor on human cancer cells using chicken egg chorioallantoic membrane model

Abstract The chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) is widely used as an in vivo model for the evaluation of tumorigenesis. Immune checkpoint molecules play a critical role in the immune system, respond to various infections, and protect against tissue damage. The purpose of this study was to investigate the immunomodulatory potential of Mormodica balsamina (MMB) crude extract in colorectal cancer cells using the CAM model. Human colon cancer cells were transplanted onto the CAM membrane of fertilized eggs, resulting in tumor development. The crude extract was injected intravenously into the chicken egg at different dosages. Comparative studies of the effect of MMB crude extract on colon cancer xenografts were conducted. The crude extract exhibited efficacy in inhibiting tumor progression and metastasis. The proteins (PDL1 and LAG3) were lowly expressed to inhibit cancer proliferation and promote apoptosis. In conclusion, the chicken egg tumor model has shown to be valuable in testing medicinal plants as therapies for human colon cancers. The crude extract may have the potential to be used as a drug target in future studies. Citation Format: Portia Pheladi Raphela-Choma, Mpho Suzan Choene, Lesetja Raymond Motadi. Immunomodulatory potential of mormodica balsamina crude extract as an immune checkpoint inhibitor on human cancer cells using chicken egg chorioallantoic membrane model [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 3208.