ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to carry out the effect of 5-Fluorouracil alone or combined with Ruxolitinib on both apoptosis and JAK/STAT pathway in U87 glioblastoma cells.

We used U87 glioblastoma cell lines as the human brain cancer cells. We treated the cells with 5-Fluorouracil (3.125 μM-400 μM) alone and with a combination of Ruxolitinib (100 μM or 400 μM of Ruxolitinib with 3.125-25 μM 5-Fluorouracil), and performed the MTT test for calculating IC50 value. Molecular fluorescence staining was performed with Hoechst and acridine orange/ethidium bromide probes. The alteration in mitochondrial apoptosis and JAK/STAT pathways to drug treatment was analyzed by the qRT-PCR assay.

Decrease in cell viability was more prominent in U87 cells treated with a combination of 5-Fluorouracil and Ruxolitinib compared to those treated with 5-Fluorouracil alone. In gene expression analysis, apoptosis signals were observed in cells treated with 5-Fluorouracil alone and 5-Fluorouracil+ Ruxolitinib treatment.

Treatment with 5-Fluorouracil alone and 5-Fluorouracil+Ruxolitinib combination increased apoptosis in U87 glioblastoma cells. However, it is difficult to mention an evident difference between treatments. Therefore, further studies are needed.

Keywords: 5-Fluorouracil, Ruxolitinib, glioblastoma, apoptosis, JAK/STAT pathway