Time lapse monitoring: Effects of vitamin E (α-tocopherol) on oral squamous cell carcinoma

Zulkapli R 1 , Razak FA 2 , Zain RM 3 , Harun N 4 , Zakaria MA 5

Affiliations 

  • 1 Cardiovascular Advancement and Research Excellence Institute (CARE Institute), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, Sungai Buloh, Selangor 47000, Malaysia; Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, Sungai Buloh, Selangor 47000, Malaysia. Electronic address: rahayu88@uitm.edu.my
  • 2 School of Dentistry, Management and Science University, Shah Alam 40000, Malaysia. Electronic address: fathilah_abdulrazak@msu.edu.my
  • 3 Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Faculty of Dentistry, MAHSA University, Bandar Saujana Putra, Jenjarom, Selangor 42610, Malaysia. Electronic address: rosnahz@mahsa.edu.my
  • 4 Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, Sungai Buloh, Selangor 47000, Malaysia. Electronic address: drharnani@uitm.edu.my
  • 5 Faculty of Applied Science, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor 40450, Malaysia. Electronic address: 2023643456@student.uitm.edu.my
Arch Oral Biol, 2026 Oct 28;193:106793.
PMID: 42962572 DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2026.106793

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the morphological changes in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells following α-tocopherol treatment by using continuous live-cell imaging with comparison to cisplatin.

DESIGN: Time lapse monitoring of ORL-48 cellular responses was performed using a Juli Br-Live cell imaging system within a CO2 incubator, where sequential images were captured at fixed intervals over 72 h with concentration range between 5.0, 7.5 and 10 μg/mL for α-tocopherol and cisplatin. Then, the images were compiled into time-lapse records to visualize the progression of morphological changes and cell death progression upon treatment exposure.

RESULTS: Time lapse analysis revealed that α-tocopherol treatment induced morphological changes in ORL-48 cells, including cell shrinkage and formation of apoptotic-like bodies. These changes were observed as early as 3 h after treatment, with further morphological alterations documented during the 24-72-hour observation period.

CONCLUSIONS: Time-lapse monitoring demonstrated that α-tocopherol induces apoptotic-like morphological changes in ORL-48 cells in a time and morphological changes through the live-cell imaging.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Similar publications