Berberine sensitizes human glioma cells, but not normal glial cells, to ionizing radiation in vitro.
The identification of nontoxic agents that can enhance the efficacy of postoperative radiotherapy for patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) remains a challenge in oncology. We evaluated human GBM cell lines for their responsiveness to berberine, an alkaloid compound used commonly in Asia as an antibiotic. In experiments measuring clonogenic survival, treatment with a nontoxic dose of berberine rendered GBM cells more sensitive than vehicle-treated control cells to x-rays. Such radiosensitization was not observed in parallel experiments with primary human glial cultures. These data suggest that berberine could be integrated with postoperative radiotherapy to selectively promote residual GBM tumor cell death
Yount
Garret
G
California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA. yount@cooper.cpmc.org
Qian
Yifang
Y
Moore
Dan
D
Basila
Dan
D
West
Jeremy
J
Aldape
Ken
K
Arvold
Nils
N
Shalev
Noga
N
Haas-Kogan
Daphne
D
D001599:Berberine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000187:drug effects; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D001599:Berberine