Onion Compound May Treat Ovarian Cancer

A natural compound isolated from onions may help ovarian cancer, a new study has claimed. Researchers from Kumamoto University in Japan studied the effects of onionin A (ONA) on a preclinical model of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) both in vivo and in vitro. Previously, researchers found that ONA suppressed pro-tumour activation of host myeloid cells. According to WHO, EOC is the most common type ovarian cancer and has a five year survival rate of about 40%. The group’s in vitro experiments showed that EOCs which usually proliferate in the presence of pro tumour M2 macrophages, showed inhibited growth after introduction of ONA. This was thought to be due to ONA influence of STAT3, a transcription factor known to be involved in both M2 polarization and cancer cell proliferation. The team also found that ONA inhibited the pro-tumour function of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, which are associated with the suppression of the anti-tumour immune response of host lymphocytes, by using preclinical sarcoma model. ONA was also found to enhance the effects of anti-cancer drugs by strengthening their anti-proliferation capabilities.