Temozolomide-Mediated Apoptotic Death Is Improved by Thymoquinone in U87MG Cell Line

ABSTRACT

Apoptosis induction of cancer cells can be an appropriate strategy by which chemotherapeutic agents kill tumor cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of temozolomide and thymoquinone combination on apoptotic pathway of human glioblastoma multiforme cell line (U87MG). U87MG cells were cultured, treated with temozolomide and thymoquinone, and cell proliferation was measured. Apoptosis cell death and its possible mechanism were investigated by various methods. Combination of temozolomide and thymoquinone had a synergistic effect on cells viability. Thymoquinone intensified the temozolomide-induced apoptosis. Combination of temozolomide and thymoquinone can be a good strategy for treatment of glioblastoma.

KEYWORDS:

• Glioblastoma multiforme
• temozolomide
• thymoquinone
• apoptosis

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Fertility and Infertility Research Center staff and Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.