Assessment of the in vitro efficacy of aspirin and aspirin analogues in combination with standard chemotherapeutics in glioma cell lines

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and most malignant primary brain tumour. The prognosis for patients remains poor with a median survival time falling well short of a year in spite of surgical removal of tumour followed by radiotherapy. GBM is resistant to the current treatment regimen, often due to therapeutic resistance, however combination therapies have been proven to have a beneficial effect on the prognosis of patients. Aspirin, one of the most commonly used drugs reduces the viability and proliferation of glioblastoma both in vitro and in vivo. This study examined the combination of aspirin or its analogue PN517 with the standard chemotherapeutic (cisplatin) and determined effects on cell viability, apoptosis and caspase activity. Either aspirin or PN517 combined with cisplatin significantly reduced the viability of U87-MG glioblastoma cells. The apoptosis induced by cisplatin was augmented in combination with either PN517 or aspirin. These results for the first time suggest a potential for improved treatment of glioblastoma multiforme where aspirin or its analogue PN517 are combined with the standard chemotherapeutic drugs cisplatin.