Cytotoxicity of carboplatin on human glioblastoma cells is reduced by the concomitant exposure to an extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (50 Hz, 70 G)

ABSTRACT

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a malignant brain cancer that causes high mortality in patients. GBM responds weakly to the common cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy and even surgery. Carboplatin is an alkylating agent widely used to treat cancer. However, resistance to this drug is a common problem in its use in cancer treatment. Concomitant exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) and carboplatin is one unexplored possibility for overcoming this resistance. Indeed, many lines of evidence show that EMF affects cancer cells and drug action. In this study, we evaluated the effect of concomitant administration of carboplatin and EMF (50 Hz, 70 G) and also concomitant administration of carboplatin and static magnetic field (SMF) (70 G) on human glioma cell line (U-87). The results showed that cotreatment reduced the efficiency of carboplatin in U-87 cells, by decreasing caspase-3 in comparison to drug groups. Overall, EMF reduced the apoptotic effect of carboplatin, possibly through a redox regulation mechanism. Therefore, we have to avoid coadministration of magnetic field (MF) and carboplatin in tumor area, because the MF decreased the toxicity of the drug. However, further studies are needed to reveal the action mechanism of this combination therapeutic method.

KEYWORDS:

• Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)
• human glioblastoma cell (U-87)
• carboplatin
• electromagnetic field (EMF)
• apoptosis

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Declaration of interest

Funding for this study was provided by the Neuroscience Research Center, Neuropharmacology Institute, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran, as a grant for thesis of Maryam Amiri [KNRC/95-31].