Scopoletin inhibits ovarian cancer progression by reducing glycolysis via the EGFR-AKT pathway

This study aimed to investigate the antitumor effects and mechanisms of scopoletin in chemoresistant ovarian cancer (OC) cells. Cell viability, migration, invasion, and the cell cycle were assessed. The effect of scopoletin on aerobic glycolysis was determined by measuring glucose uptake, lactate, ATP, extracellular acidification rate (ECAR), and oxygen consumption rate (OCR). Bioinformatics was used to analyze the relationship between scopoletin and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The levels of p-EGFR and p-AKT were measured using western blotting. In vivo xenograft models were used to validate the role of scopoletin. These results revealed that scopoletin inhibited the viability, migration, invasion, and colony formation of chemoresistant OC cells. It induced concentration-dependent G1/S phase arrest and reversed aerobic glycolysis by reducing glucose uptake, lactate production, ATP levels, and ECAR while increasing the OCR. Scopoletin targets the EGFR-AKT axis and downregulates p-EGFR and p-AKT expression. Crucially, the combination of scopoletin and the EGFR inhibitor lapatinib synergistically inhibited cellular metabolic reprogramming and proliferation and significantly enhanced tumor growth inhibition in mice compared to single-drug treatment. In conclusion, scopoletin suppresses chemoresistant OC progression and metastasis by targeting the EGFR-AKT pathway. The synergistic effect of scopoletin and lapatinib demonstrates a promising therapeutic strategy for overcoming OC chemoresistance.