Open AccessSynergistic Cytotoxic Effect of Honey Bee Venom and Cisplatin on Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Line
Author(s) -
Sabreen Amar,
Amr Elbolok,
Sherif Farouk Elgayar,
Maii Ibrahim Sholkamy
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
open access macedonian journal of medical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.288
H-Index - 17
ISSN - 1857-9655
DOI - 10.3889/oamjms.2021.7672
Subject(s) - cisplatin , medicine , cytotoxic t cell , apoptosis , cancer , cancer cell , cell culture , cancer research , cytotoxicity , pharmacology , pathology , immunology , chemotherapy , in vitro , biology , biochemistry , genetics
BACKGROUND: Tongue cancer is one of the most common head and neck cancers in the world. Nowadays, natural compounds are important resources of many anti-cancer drugs. Venom from honey bees possesses potent anti-cancer activities. Cisplatin is a chemotherapeutic drug that has been used for decades to treat cancer cells. Recently, combination therapy has been a popular treatment choice for cancer patients.AIM: This study was conducted to evaluate the synergistic cytotoxic effect of honey bee venom (BV) and cisplatin on tongue squamous cell carcinoma 25 (SCC-25) cell lines.METHODS: The cytotoxic effect was determined using methyl thiazol tetrazolium assay, microscopic examination, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and statistical analysis.RESULTS: The findings revealed that the cytotoxic potential of the tested drugs on SCC-25 cells was dose-dependent. Microscopic examination showed that BV and cisplatin alone and in combination mainly produced apoptotic cell death. Regarding RT-PCR results, P53 and caspase-3 expression levels were significantly increased in SCC-25-treated cells (p = 0.0001).CONCLUSION: The combined use of BV and cisplatin induced a marked synergistic cytotoxic effect on SCC-25 cell line.