title: Synergistic efficacy of γ-radiation together with gallium trichloride and/or doxorubicin against Ehrlich carcinoma in female mice.
abstract: Combining chemotherapy with radiotherapy represents a key oncology strategy for a more comprehensive attack toward cancers and improves treatment outcome for various solid tumor malignancies. The present study aims to evaluate the synergistic antitumor effect of γ-radiation together with gallium trichloride (GaCl3) and/or doxorubicin (DOX) against solid Ehrlich carcinoma (EC) in female mice. GaCl3 (300 mg/kg body weight (b.w.)) was administered by gavages daily on the seventh day after tumor inoculation, while the cytotoxic drug DOX (4 mg/kg b.w.) was administered intraperitoneally once a week. Whole-body γ-radiation was carried out at a dose 2 Gy once a week. Biochemical analysis showed that solid EC induced a significant increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) content with a significant decrease in the antioxidant state (glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) activities) and depleted serum iron concentration compared to normal control. Moreover, a significant increase was observed in calcium level and caspase-3 concentrations in both serum and tumor homogenate respectively associated with a significant alteration in heart, liver, and kidney functions, as compared to control. Treatment of EC-bearing mice with GaCl3and/or DOX combined with γ-radiation exposure significantly reduced tumor volume and displayed a significant improvement in most studied markers which may indicate a synergistic effect of this combination against organ dysfunction and cellular injury. The histopathologically investigation showed that treatment of animals bearing EC with GaCl3and/or DOX with γ-radiation exposure showed shrinkage in tumor lesions and wide zones of apoptotic cells with signs of regenerations. It was concluded that the combination of GaCl3and/or DOX with γ-radiation exposure resulted in super-additive cytotoxic effects on treatment of cancer cells.
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. kandil.eman@yahoo.com.
authors: Eman
authors: E
authors: Kandil
authors: Radiation Biology Department, National Centre for Radiation Research and Technology, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Nahed Abdel
authors: NA
authors: Aziz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D002286:Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005708:Gallium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005720:Gamma Rays / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D004317:Doxorubicin; D005708:Gallium; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D053148:Caspase 3
keywords: Cardiomyopathy; Doxorubicin; Ehrlich solid tumor; Gallium trichloride; Hepatic and renal dysfunction; γ-Radiation exposure