Boswellic acid activity against glioblastoma stem-like cells

Boswellic acids (BAs) have long been considered as useful adjunct pharmacological agents for the treatment of patients with malignant brain tumors, notably glioblastoma. Two principal modes of action associated with BAs have been postulated: i) Anti-inflammatory properties, which are useful for containing edema formation, and ii) intrinsic antitumor cell properties, with a hitherto ill-defined mode of action. The present study assessed the effects of various BA derivatives on the viability and clonogenicity of a panel of nine long-term glioma cell lines and five glioma-initiating cell lines, studied cell cycle progression and the mode of cell death induction, and explored potential synergy with temozolomide (TMZ) or irradiation. BA induced the concentration-dependent loss of viability and clonogenicity that was independent of tumor protein 53 status and O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase expression. The treatment of glioma cells with BA resulted in cell death induction, prior to or upon S phase entry, and exhibited features of apoptotic cell death. Synergy with irradiation or TMZ was detected at certain concentrations; however, the inhibitory effects were mostly additive, and never antagonistic. While the intrinsic cytotoxic properties of BA at low micromolecular concentrations were confirmed and the potential synergy with irradiation and TMZ was identified, the proximate pharmacodynamic target of BA remains to be identified.