Anti-cancer effects of wistin on malignant melanoma cells

Abstract Malignant melanoma (MM) is a severe skin cancer that arises from melanocytes, primarily caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Although MM occurs less frequently than other skin cancers, its metastasis is easily activated, leading to a high mortality rate. MM incidence is gradually rising, necessitating the development of effective treatment strategies. Phytochemicals derived from plants are well recognized for their biological functions, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activities. However, the anticancer activity of wistin, an isoflavone, in MM remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the anticancer effects of wistin on MM by elucidating its underlying molecular mechanisms. In this study, wistin significantly inhibited the cell viability and proliferation of B16 F10 melanoma cells. In addition, wistin induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest and suppressed cell migration and invasion in B16 F10 cells. Moreover, our findings revealed that wistin downregulates phospho-ERK and p38. Overall, our results indicate that wistin exerts its anticancer effects by inhibiting the extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Therefore, wistin could be a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of MM.