Browsing by Subject "Drug combination"

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Open Access
Drug repurposing and investigation of novel combinations for glioblastoma therapeutics using in vitro and zebrafish in vivo models
(2024-01) Tok, Güneş
Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive brain cancer type with the survival rate less than 2 years after diagnosis. Yet, potent drug treatments used in patients are limited and the field is in need of development of new potential drugs. In this study, repurposing of approved drugs alone or in combination and novel drugs are investigated in terms of inhibition of cell viability, glial fluorescent signals and their effects on behavior in zebrafish larval models. The main aim of this study was to test whether phenothiazines, trifluoperazine and a novel molecule 10, could be repurposed for glioblastoma treatment with lower dosages and more potency when combined with Sorafenib, an approved drug, in glioblastoma cell lines and zebrafish larvae. Those drug combinations were not found as toxic in the dosages studied while acted on glia cells in zebrafish transgenic larval models. Last but not least, behavior and stress response of the wild type and heterozygous mutant ache larvae in comparison with homozygous siblings were tested upon drug administration to assess genotype by drug interactions. Combination treatments exhibited higher efficacies suggesting phenothiazines with sorafenib could have potential in glioblastoma treatment. Genotype specific effects of individual and combination treatments on larval light-dark behavior, stress response and recovery exhibited potential for passage of blood brain barrier by the tested drugs. The established protocols for genotype and drug interactions could be applied to other kinases in combination with phenothiazines.
Open Access
The impact of At1r inhibition via losartan on the anti-leukaemic effects of doxorubicin in acute myeloid leukaemia
(Sage Publications, 2019-05) Ghasemi, M.; Okay, M.; Türk, S.; Naeemaee, Ronak; Güver, Ebru; Malkan, Ü. Y.; Aksu, S.; Sayınalp, N.; Haznedaroğlu, I. C.
Introduction: Bone marrow renin–angiotensin system(RAS) modulates acute myeloid leukaemia(AML).The aim of this study is to clarify the relationships between RAS and AML, and to show the effect of losartan and doxorubicin treatment in AML cell lines. Methods: AML cell lines including CESS, HL-60, MO-1, P31/FUJ, GDM-1 and KASUMI-3 were used as models in this study. Results:After treating the six AML cell lines with a combination of losartan and doxorubicin, they were divided into two groups based on their behaviour: one became more sensitive to drug treatment (Group A) and the other had no change observed in behaviour after drug treatment (Group B). In silico analyses showed that Group A is involved in cellular apoptosis, while Group B is involved in tumour angiogenesis further supporting the in vitro results. Conclusion:The combined treatment of the AML cell lines with losartan and doxorubicin resulted in an increase in sensitivity of some of the cell lines. Those leukaemic cells are modulated via the induction of apoptosis, whereas the other cells resistant to the drug treatment are closely related to tumour angiogenesis indicating that RAS-AT1R seems to be differently expressed in different leukaemic blast cells and tumour microenvironments. Pharmaco-biological actions of RAS inhibitors may be different in distinct leukaemic cells based on the pathological behaviour of AML genomic subtypes.
Open Access
Mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors as novel targets in breast and liver cancer therapies
(2020-12) Güneş, Damla
Cell signaling is a complex phenomenon and is maintained through intertwined signal transmissions within and in-between the cells. Anti-cancer therapies are often challenged by this fact due to crosstalk-associated activation of alternative survival routes. Hence, development of new treatment strategies and identification of novel prognostic markers depends on in-depth knowledge on cell signaling routes altered in cancer and possible crosstalk paths. Herein, mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling, two closely related members of steroid receptor hormone family, and their possible crosstalk were studied across breast and liver cancer cell lines. In breast cancer cell lines, estrogen responsive and MR expressing T47D was used in order to study possible crosstalk among Estrogen receptor (ER) and MR. MR-GR ligand aldosterone (ALDO) and ER ligand estrogen (E2) administered to breast cancer cells alone and in combination and, MR, ER and GR and their downstream signaling members were studied employing qRT-PCR and Western blot assays. Furthermore, ALDO, E2, ALDO-E2 hormone administrations were also used for cell viability assessments. Our results implied possible interactions of ALDO-E2 signaling at the level of cell viability, and at mRNA levels of progesterone receptor. In liver cancer cell lines, MR and GR was investigated as targets of a novel treatment. Liver cancer subtype hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has high mortality rate with limited treatment options. Multi-kinase inhibitor Sorafenib (SFB) with mild effectivity is most known systemic therapy against HCC. To potentiate the effectiveness of SFB and overcome to the crosstalk associated limitations, combinatorial drug treatment approach targeting multiple signaling modalities has been adopted in literature. Previously in our lab, SFB was combined with repurposed anti-psychotic drug TFP as a novel combinatorial treatment against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver cancer cell lines. Cellular viability was synergistically reduced by SFB-TFP in HCC cell line Hep3B, while antagonistic effects on viability in SkHep1 was apparent. Herein, two liver cancer cell lines Hep3B and SkHep1, were used in comparison to unravel mechanism of action of SFB-TFP combination at the protein level. Apoptosis, cell cycle, PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MAPK pathways were investigated in addition to MR and GR. Our results revealed several markers indicating success of drug combinations and targeted pathways at protein level which needs to be pursued further.