Mehrdad Ghorbanlou, Fatemeh Moradi, Mehdi Mehdizadeh. Anat Cell Biol 2022;55:63-71. https://doi.org/10.5115/acb.21.137

Mehrdad Ghorbanlou, Fatemeh Moradi, Mohammad Hassan Kazemi-Galougahi, Maasoume Abdollahi. Anat Cell Biol 2024;57:45-60. https://doi.org/10.5115/acb.23.219

Sonic hedgehog (SHH) medulloblastoma etiology is associated with the SHH molecular pathway activation at different levels. We investigated the effect of arsenic trioxide as a downstream-level inhibitor of the SHH signaling pathway on morphology, cytotoxicity, migration, and SHH-related and apoptotic gene expression of DAOY cells. Cells were treated at various arsenic trioxide (ATO)concentrations (1, 2, 3, 5, and 10 mu M) for different times (24 and 48 hr). Following treatments, the morphology of the cells was investigated at x20 and x40 magnification by an inverted microscope. Then, cytotoxicity was investigated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and trypan blue assays. Cell migration was analyzed through the wound-healing assay. Furthermore, the expression of SHH-related (GLI1, GLI2, SMO, and MYCN) and apoptotic genes (BAX, BCL2, and TP53) was assessed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Finally, GLI1, SMO, and MYCN markers were analyzed through immunocytochemistry. Data were analyzed by SPSS (version 16) and P <= 0.05 was considered significant. Morphological changes were seen at 3 and 2 mu M in 24 and 48 hr of treatment, respectively. The MTT assay showed a dose-dependent cytotoxicity indicating an IC50 value of 3.39 +/- 0.35 and 2.05 +/- 0.64 mu M in 24 and 48hr treatment, respectively. In addition, the trypan blue assay showed higher IC50 values of 4.29 +/- 0.25 and 3.92 +/- 0.22 mu M in 24 and 48 hr treatment, respectively. The wound-healing assay indicated a dose-dependent reduction of cell migration speed showing a 50% reduction at 2.89 +/- 0.26 mu M. Significant downregulation of GLI1 and GLI2, as well as the upregulation of BAX, BAX/BCL2 ratio, and TP53 were evident. Significant increases in GLI1 and MYCN markers were also evident in immunocytochemistry. ATO, as a downstream effective inhibitor of the SHH pathway, substantially leads to cell death, cell migration inhibition, apoptosis upregulation, and downregulation of SHH target genes in DAOY medulloblastoma. Since ATO is a toxic chemotherapeutic agent, it must be used at low concentrations (2 mu M) in order not to damage healthy cells.

Introduction: Targeting smoothened (SMO) has been a remarkable strategy for treating sonic hedgehog (Shh)-dependent cancers, especially medulloblastoma. GDC-0449, also known as vismodegib, is a potent SMO inhibitor with mild toxicity and high affinity. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the anti-medulloblastoma efficacy of vismodegib in the DAOY medulloblastoma cell line. Methods: Human ...