Combination with genistein enhances the efficacy of photodynamic therapy against human anaplastic thyroid cancer cells

• Published in: Lasers in surgery and medicine Vol. 44; no. 10; pp. 840 - 849
• Main Authors: Ahn, Jin-Chul, Biswas, Raktim, Chung, Phil-Sang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.12.2012; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - pharmacology; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Blotting, Western; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival - drug effects; Dihematoporphyrin Ether - pharmacology; Dihematoporphyrin Ether - therapeutic use; genistein; Genistein - pharmacology; Genistein - therapeutic use; Humans; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial - drug effects; Microscopy, Confocal; PDT; Photochemotherapy; photofrin; Photosensitizing Agents - pharmacology; Photosensitizing Agents - therapeutic use; SNU 80; Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic; Thyroid Neoplasms - drug therapy
• ISSN: 0196-8092; 1096-9101
• DOI: 10.1002/lsm.22095

Background and Objective Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has become one of the emerging options in management of cancer and other diseases. The major goal of PDT is to kill cancer cell without causing any adverse effect to the normal cells. PDT in combination of different therapeutic agents is being evaluated to improve the efficacy of treatment. Genistein, a soy ingredient, has widely been studied against different types of cancer. In the present study, combination of these two therapeutic methods has been studied to evaluate the enhanced effectiveness and find out the mechanism of action. Materials and Methods Combination of PDT and genistein has been studied against human thyroid cancer cells SNU 80. Cells were treated with genistein and different concentration of photofrin in PDT singly and conjointly. Viability of SNU 80 cells was analyzed using MTT assay. The cells were stained with Hoechst 33342 and propidium iodide (PI) for morphological observations. Changes in mitochondrial membrane potential and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were also studied by confocal microscopy. Western blot analysis were also performed to find out the expressions of different pro‐ and anti‐apoptotic proteins. Results From the result, the combination of genistein and photofrin mediated PDT enhanced the apoptotic effect against SNU 80 cells. Proliferation of the cells was inhibited and the mitochondrial membrane depolarisation was observed. ROS level were also increased in combination treatment. The expressions of Caspase 3, Caspase 9, cytochrome c, Caspase 8, Caspae 12 and other apoptosis related proteins were also modified. Conclusion Thus PDT can induce apoptosis in thyroid cancer cells singly or in combination with genistein. But in combination treatment, the efficacy of inducing apoptosis in SNU 80 cells is much higher than that of individual treatment with genistein or PDT. Lasers Surg. Med. 44: 840–849, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.