Bufothionine Promotes Apoptosis via Triggering ER Stress and Synergizes with Temozolomide in Glioblastoma Multiforme Cells

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common type of malignant glioma. Bufothionine is one of the major active ingredients of Cinobufacini. Although the antitumor activities of bufothionine have been reported, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The present study showed that bufothionine exhibited antigrowth activities in GBM cell lines U87 and U373. Further investigation showed that bufothionine triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress to promote apoptosis in U87 and U373 cells. Moreover, our results showed that bufothionine exhibited synergistic activities with Temozolomide (TMZ) to suppress the growth of U87 and U373 cells. The findings in the present study provide basis for further investigation of the therapeutic potential of bufothionine in GBM. Anat Rec, 302:1950-1957, 2019. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy.