Exploring the anticancer potential of Dianthus orientalis in pancreatic cancer: A molecular and cellular study

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal malignancies, characterized by limited therapeutic options and poor prognosis. This study investigated the anticancer effects of Dianthus orientalis extracts on pancreatic cancer cell lines (Panc-1 and BxPC-3) with a focus on apoptosis, invasion, and metastasis-related pathways. Chemical analysis using HPLC-MS/MS identified bioactive compounds (vanillic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, quercetin, hyperoxide) known for their anticancer properties. The Inhibitory Concentration 50 (IC50) value, which is half maximal inhibitory concentration of cancer cells, was determined to be 250 μg/mL at 48 h, and significantly induced apoptosis by decreasing anti-apoptotic gene expressions (Bcl-XL and Bcl-2) and increasing pro-apoptotic gene expressions (Casp3 and Bax) particularly in the Panc-1 cell line. Flow cytometric analysis revealed approximately 55% apoptosis in both cell lines. Molecular docking and dynamics analyses demonstrated strong binding affinities of quercetin and hyperoxide with important cancer-related proteins, including CHEK2 and PALB2. Gene expression analysis demonstrated the upregulation of pro-apoptotic markers like Bax and Casp3, and selective modulation of metastasis-related genes such as SNAI1, PALB2, and CHEK2. The findings highlight the potential of D. orientalis to modulate DNA repair mechanisms and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathways. Furthermore, network pharmacology and in silico tools corroborated its interactions with critical signaling pathways in cancer progression, including PI3K-Akt and MAPK. The study provides the first comprehensive evidence of D. orientalis's antiproliferative through apoptosis induction on pancreatic cancer cell lines, laying the groundwork for future therapeutic applications.