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DL-Methadone as an Enhancer of Chemotherapeutic Drugs in Head and Neck Cancer Cell Lines
Veronika Landgraf1, Matthias Griessmann1, Jeanette Roller1
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany.
Background/Aim:
The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of DL-methadone on enhancing the action of the chemotherapeutic drugs cisplatin, doxorubicin, 5-fluoruracil (5-FU) and paclitaxel on head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines.
Materials And Methods:
The chemotherapeutic drugs were applied alone or in combination with DL-methadone and cytotoxicity was analyzed by XTT assays. Expression of the μ-opioid receptor and the drug transporter p-glycoprotein were analyzed by qRT-PCR.
Results:
The effect of DL-methadone strongly depended on the respective chemotherapeutic agent. The basic expression of the μ-opioid receptor was not associated with the effect of DL-methadone, rather its induction by chemotherapeutic drugs. Expression or expression induction of p-glycoprotein was higher in weak-responder cell lines.
Conclusion:
Enhancement of the toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs by DL-methadone depends on the drug and on the cell line used.
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