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Updated: Jul 6, 2026
Cytotoxic Efficacy of Photodynamic Therapy in Osteosarcoma Cells In Vitro
Published on: March 18, 2014
Anesthetic-chemotherapy interplay in osteosarcoma: preliminary investigations with in vitro models
Mehtap Gürler Balta1, Seçil Erden Tayhan2, Sema Bilgin3
1Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Faculty of Medicine, Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University, Tokat, Türkiye. drmehtapgurler@hotmail.com.
Background:
The primary objective of this study is to evaluate whether anesthetic agents modulate the apoptotic activity and migration-inhibitory effects of chemotherapeutic agents, thereby informing the optimization of perioperative management strategies in oncologic interventions.
Methods:
SAOS-2 cells were treated with varying concentrations of thiopental, ketamine, and doxorubicin. Cell viability was assessed via MTT assay to determine IC₅₀ values. Thiopental exhibited greater antiproliferative activity than ketamine and was selected for further study. Its interaction with doxorubicin was analyzed using the Chou-Talalay method, yielding a combination index (CI) of 0.92608 at Fa = 0.5, indicating moderate synergism. The combination treatment also led to reduced IC₅₀ values. Cell migration was evaluated using a scratch wound healing assay. Gene expression changes related to apoptosis and metastasis were analyzed using qRT-PCR. In silico molecular docking simulations were performed to provide mechanistic insights into the observed biological effects.
Results:
Thiopental and doxorubicin exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity, with the combination showing enhanced antiproliferative activity. Co-treatment reduced IC₅₀ values and suppressed SAOS-2 cell migration more effectively than either drug alone. Gene expression analysis revealed increased pro-apoptotic markers and decreased Bcl-2 expression. Metastasis-associated genes were significantly downregulated, despite upregulation of hypoxia-responsive genes. Molecular docking analyses identified interactions of thiopental and doxorubicin with HSP70, HSP90, and CYP450, providing complementary information for the interpretation of the observed cellular responses.
Conclusion:
The findings suggest that thiopental may influence the cellular response to doxorubicin in osteosarcoma through treatment-associated modulation of apoptosis- and migration-related molecular responses. The observed moderate synergistic interaction and dose-reduction potential warrant further investigation in more clinically relevant experimental models.
