A Mathematical Model of the Cell Cycle: Exploring the Impact of Zingerone on Cancer Cell Proliferation

Abstract

This paper presents a mathematical model that explores the interactions between Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 1 (CDK1) and the Anaphase-Promoting Complex (APC) in cancer cells. Through the analysis of a dynamical system simulating the CDK1-APC network, we investigate the system's behavior and its implications for cancer progression and potential therapeutic interventions. Our findings highlight the critical role of CDK1-APC interactions in regulating the cell cycle and examine the impact of Zingerone, a compound derived from ginger, on modulating the period of the oscillatory dynamics. These results provide new insights into the potential of Zingerone to influence cell proliferation and offer avenues for less harmful cancer treatments. The quantitative analysis is conducted by first theoretically deriving the cell viability as a function of time and Zingerone concentration, and then validating this function by using experimental data.