ABSTRACT
Background: Arsenic trioxide [ATO] has been reported as an effective anti-cancer and a US Food and Drug Administration [FDA] approved drug for treatment of some cancers. The aim of this study was to determine the underlying apoptosis molecular and cellular mechanisms of ATO in the presence or absence of ionizing radiation [IR] in vitro in the glioblastoma multiforme [GBM] cell line, U87MG
Methods: Cells were treated by different concentrations of ATO either in presence or absence of IR. Viability and apoptosis pathway of both treated and control groups were evaluated using MTT assay and the expression analysis of Box, Bcl-2, and caspase-3 genes, respectively. All treatments were performed on 100-ujm diameter spheroids
Results: Results showed a significant reduction in the survival of the cells in all treated groups. As expected, cell survival was much less in combination treatment than treatment with only ATO. Moreover, combination therapy made Box and caspase-3 up-regulated and Bcl-2 down-regulated
Conclusion: ATO and radiation had a synergistic apoptotic effect on GBM cells by up-regulation of caspase-3 and alteration of the Bax-Bcl-2 balance; therefore, ATO may act as a potential anti-cancer agent against GBM cells through triggering the mitochondria! pathway of apoptosis