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Oraiopoulou ME, Tzamali E, Psycharakis SE, Tzedakis G, Makatounakis T, Manolitsi K, Drakos E, Vakis AF, Zacharakis G, Papamatheakis J, Sakkalis V. The Temozolomide-Doxorubicin paradox in Glioblastoma in vitro-in silico preclinical drug-screening. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3759. [PMID: 38355655 PMCID: PMC10866941 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53684-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Adjuvant Temozolomide is considered the front-line Glioblastoma chemotherapeutic treatment; yet not all patients respond. Latest trends in clinical trials usually refer to Doxorubicin; yet it can lead to severe side-effects if administered in high doses. While Glioblastoma prognosis remains poor, little is known about the combination of the two chemotherapeutics. Patient-derived spheroids were generated and treated with a range of Temozolomide/Doxorubicin concentrations either as monotherapy or in combination. Optical microscopy was used to monitor the growth pattern and cell death. Based on the monotherapy experiments, we developed a probabilistic mathematical framework in order to describe the drug-induced effect at the single-cell level and simulate drug doses in combination assuming probabilistic independence. Doxorubicin was found to be effective in doses even four orders of magnitude less than Temozolomide in monotherapy. The combination therapy doses tested in vitro were able to lead to irreversible growth inhibition at doses where monotherapy resulted in relapse. In our simulations, we assumed both drugs are anti-mitotic; Temozolomide has a growth-arrest effect, while Doxorubicin is able to cumulatively cause necrosis. Interestingly, under no mechanistic synergy assumption, the in silico predictions underestimate the in vitro results. In silico models allow the exploration of a variety of potential underlying hypotheses. The simulated-biological discrepancy at certain doses indicates a supra-additive response when both drugs are combined. Our results suggest a Temozolomide-Doxorubicin dual chemotherapeutic scheme to both disable proliferation and increase cytotoxicity against Glioblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam-Eleni Oraiopoulou
- Institute of Computer Science (ICS), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, Greece
- Cancer Research UK - Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Eleftheria Tzamali
- Institute of Computer Science (ICS), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, Greece
| | - Stylianos E Psycharakis
- Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL), Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, Greece
- School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Georgios Tzedakis
- Institute of Computer Science (ICS), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, Greece
| | - Takis Makatounakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, Greece
| | - Katina Manolitsi
- University General Hospital of Heraklion (PAGNI), Heraklion, Greece
| | - Elias Drakos
- School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
- University General Hospital of Heraklion (PAGNI), Heraklion, Greece
| | - Antonis F Vakis
- School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
- University General Hospital of Heraklion (PAGNI), Heraklion, Greece
| | - Giannis Zacharakis
- Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL), Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, Greece
| | - Joseph Papamatheakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, Greece
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Vangelis Sakkalis
- Institute of Computer Science (ICS), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, Greece.
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Taatjes DJ, Roth J. In focus in HCB. Histochem Cell Biol 2024; 161:1-3. [PMID: 38193923 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-023-02260-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Douglas J Taatjes
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA.
| | - Jürgen Roth
- University of Zurich, CH-8091, Zurich, Switzerland
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