Taichung Municipal Taichung First Senior High School, Taichung, Taiwan.
Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taichung Veterans Hospital, Taichung, 40705, Taiwan.
Curr Neurovasc Res. 2024;21(3):320-336. doi: 10.2174/0115672026332275240731054001.
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive type of brain tumor that is difficult to remove surgically. Research suggests that substances from saffron, namely crocetin and crocin, could be effective natural treatments, showing abilities to kill cancer cells.
Our study focused on evaluating the effects of crocetin on glioma using the U87 cell line. We specifically investigated how crocetin affects the survival, growth, and spread of glioma cells, exploring its impact at concentrations ranging from 75-150 μM. The study also included experiments combining crocetin with the chemotherapy drug Temozolomide (TMZ) to assess potential synergistic effects.
Crocetin significantly reduced the viability, proliferation, and migration of glioma cells. It achieved these effects by decreasing the levels of Matrix Metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) and Ras homolog family member A (RhoA), proteins that are critical for cancer progression. Additionally, crocetin inhibited the formation of cellular structures necessary for tumor growth. It blocked multiple points of the Ak Strain Transforming (AKT) signaling pathway, which is vital for cancer cell survival. This treatment led to increased cell death and disrupted the cell cycle in the glioma cells. When used in combination with TMZ, crocetin not only enhanced the reduction of cancer cell growth but also promoted cell death and reduced cell replication. This combination therapy further decreased levels of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-products (RAGE), proteins linked to inflammation and tumor progression. It selectively inhibited certain pathways involved in the cellular stress response without affecting others.
Our results underscore the potential of crocetin as a treatment for glioma. It targets various mechanisms involved in tumor growth and spread, offering multiple avenues for therapy. Further studies are essential to fully understand and utilize crocetin's benefits in treating glioma.
多形性胶质母细胞瘤（GBM）是一种难以通过手术切除的侵袭性脑肿瘤。研究表明，藏红花中的物质，即西红花酸和西红花苷，可能是有效的天然治疗方法，具有杀死癌细胞的能力。
我们的研究集中在使用 U87 细胞系评估西红花酸对神经胶质瘤的影响。我们特别研究了西红花酸如何影响神经胶质瘤细胞的存活、生长和扩散，探索其在 75-150 μM 浓度范围内的影响。该研究还包括将西红花酸与化疗药物替莫唑胺（TMZ）联合使用的实验，以评估潜在的协同作用。
西红花酸显著降低了神经胶质瘤细胞的活力、增殖和迁移。它通过降低基质金属蛋白酶 9（MMP-9）和 Ras 同源家族成员 A（RhoA）的水平来实现这些效果，这两种蛋白对癌症进展至关重要。此外，西红花酸抑制了肿瘤生长所需的细胞结构的形成。它阻断了 AK 株转化（AKT）信号通路的多个点，该通路对癌细胞的存活至关重要。这种治疗方法导致神经胶质瘤细胞死亡增加并扰乱了细胞周期。当与 TMZ 联合使用时，西红花酸不仅增强了对癌细胞生长的抑制作用，还促进了细胞死亡和减少了细胞复制。这种联合治疗进一步降低了高迁移率族蛋白 1（HMGB1）和晚期糖基化终产物受体（RAGE）的水平，这些蛋白与炎症和肿瘤进展有关。它选择性地抑制了涉及细胞应激反应的特定途径，而不影响其他途径。
我们的结果强调了西红花酸作为神经胶质瘤治疗方法的潜力。它针对肿瘤生长和扩散涉及的多种机制，为治疗提供了多种途径。进一步的研究对于充分理解和利用西红花酸在治疗神经胶质瘤中的益处至关重要。
