Preclinical renal cancer chemopreventive efficacy of geraniol by modulation of multiple molecular pathways

In the present study, we have evaluated the chemopreventive potential of geraniol (GOH), an acyclic monoterpene alcohol against ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA) induced renal oxidative stress and carcinogenesis in Wistar rats. Chronic treatment of Fe-NTA induced oxidative stress, inflammation and cellular proliferation in Wistar rats. The chemopreventive efficacy of GOH was studied in terms of xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme activities, LPO, redox status, serum toxicity markers and the expression of putative nephrotoxicity biomarker Kim-1, tumor suppressor gene P53, inflammation, cell proliferation and apoptosis related genes in the kidney tissue. Oral administration of GOH at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg b wt effectively suppressed renal oxidative stress and tumor incidence. Chemopreventive effects of GOH were associated with upregulation of xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme activities and down regulation of serum toxicity markers. GOH was able to down regulate expression of Kim-1, NFκB, PCNA, P53 along with induction of apoptosis. However, higher dose of GOH was more effective in modulating these multiple molecular targets both at transcriptional and protein level. These results provide a powerful evidence for the chemopreventive efficacy of GOH against renal carcinogenesis possibly by modulation of multiple molecular pathways.

Diagrammatic presentation of the hypothesis of the article in a concise manner. It reveals the chemopreventive efficacy of GOH possibly through the modulation of multiple molecular targets. GOH inhibits ROS generation, NFκB and PCNA expression thereby abrogating inflammation and proliferation of tubular cells of kidney. Whereas, GOH induces effector caspase-3 expression both through mitochondrial signalling pathway and death receptor signalling pathway.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights
► Geraniol modulates renal carcinogenesis in Wistar rats.
► It abrogates Fe-NTA induced oxidative stress, inflammation and hyperproliferation.
► Promotes apoptosis via induction of both mitochondrial and death receptor pathway.
► Thus, inhibits renal carcinogenesis by modulating multiple molecular targets.