Synergistic Effects of A Combined Treatment of Glioblastoma U251 Cells with An Anti-miR-10b-5p Molecule and An AntiCancer Agent Based on 1-(3′,4′,5′-Trimethoxyphenyl)-2-Aryl-1H-Imidazole Scaffold

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 23; no. 11; p. 5991
• Main Authors: Zurlo, Matteo, Romagnoli, Romeo, Oliva, Paola, Gasparello, Jessica, Finotti, Alessia, Gambari, Roberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.06.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Agreements; anti-miR; Apoptosis; Aromatic compounds; Brain cancer; Cancer therapies; Caspase-3; Cell culture; Cell cycle; Cell growth; Central nervous system; Chemotherapy; Glioblastoma; Glioma; Imidazole; Malignancy; microRNA; MicroRNAs; miR-10b-5p; miRNA; Morphology; Polymerization; Scaffolds; Synergistic effect; Tubulin; Tumors
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms23115991

(1) Background: In the development of new and more effective anticancer approaches, combined treatments appear of great interest. Combination therapy could be of importance in the management of glioblastoma (GBM), a lethal malignancy that accounts for 42% of cancer of the central nervous system, with a median survival of 15 months. This study aimed to verify the activity on a glioblastoma cancer cell line of one of the most active compounds of a novel series of tubulin polymerization inhibitors based on the 1-(3′,4′,5′-trimethoxyphenyl)-2-aryl-1H-imidazole scaffold, used in combination with a miRNA inhibitor molecule targeting the oncomiRNA miR-10b-5p. This microRNA was selected in consideration of the role of miR-10b-5p on the onset and progression of glioblastoma. (2) Methods: Apoptosis was analyzed by Annexin-V and Caspase 3/7 assays, efficacy of the anti-miR-10b-5p was assessed by determining the miR-10b-5p content by RT-qPCR. (3) Results: The results obtained show that a “combination therapy” performed by combining the use of an anti-miR-10b-5p and a 1-(3′,4′,5′-trimethoxyphenyl)-2-aryl-1H-imidazole derivative is an encouraging strategy to boost the efficacy of anticancer therapies and at the same time to reduce side effects.