In Vitro Physiological Effects of Betahistine on Cell Lines of Various Origins

Betahistine is a histamine analog commonly prescribed for symptomatic treatment of vertiginous symptoms. In vitro studies have shown that betahistine was not toxic at the prescribed doses in a nasal epithelial cell line. However, the effect of betahistine on other cell types has not been studied. In this study, we aimed to investigate some of the physiological effects of betahistine on L929 fibroblast, A549 lung cancer, human umbilical vein endothelial (HUVEC), and Ishikawa endometrial cell lines.

Cellular proliferation was assed assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, apoptosis was evaluated by acridine orange-ethidium bromide staining, and cellular migration was assed assessed by scratch assay.

Betahistine treatment (0.1-0.5 mg/mL, 24 hours) can inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in HUVEC, A549, Ishikawa, and L929 cell lines. Betahistine (≥0.1 mg/mL) significantly increased the number of apoptotic cells (HUVEC: 26.3%, A549: 17.3%, L929: 8.6%, and Ishikawa: 2.3%). Betahistine at doses over 0.1 mg/mL significantly suppressed the cell migration rate in all of the cell lines. In contrast, exposure to a low dose of betahistine (0.025 mg/mL) induced migration rates of HUVEC and Ishikawa cells by 81% and 48%, respectively.

Betahistine may alter the processes of cellular proliferation, apoptosis, and cellular migration in a cell line- and dose-dependent manner. In this sense, proliferative and metastatic properties of certain cancer cells can potentially be altered in response to betahistine treatment.