Investigation of cytotoxic activity of beta carotene on glioblastoma cells

Glioblastoma is a type of cancer that occurs in the central nervous system. It is highly lethal, and spreads rapidly. The survival time of patients varies depending on the effectiveness of the treatment methods, and the extent of the disease, but on average, it is around 15 months. The standard treatment protocol currently includes surgical intervention, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Obstacles in treatment include difficulty in completely removing tumours because of their placement in sensitive areas of the brain and close proximity to vital structures. Other challenges are the blood-brain barrier preventing drugs from reaching brain tissue, and the potential of glioblastoma cells to develop resistance to treatment. Because of the side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs (especially Temozolomide) used in glioblastoma treatment and the ability of tumor cells to develop resistance to these drugs, alternative or supportive treatment methods are being researched. β-carotene is a natural antioxidant carotenoid. The impact of β-carotene on glioblastoma cells was examined in this study. β-carotene, etoposide, and temozolomide were applied to U87MG glioblastoma cells, and the survival of the glioblastoma cells was assessed. The results indicated that β -carotene alone significantly reduced the glioblastoma cell viability. When combined with etoposide, it exhibited a synergistic effect, decreasing the number of glioblastoma cells and their colony formation potential. However, it was found that β-carotene had an antagonistic relationship with temozolomide when used together, and that glioblastoma cell viability and colony-forming potential were greater under these conditions than when etoposide and β- carotene were administered alone.