Effects of short chain shingolipids on lung cancer cells

Lung cancer is a primary disease for which no cure has yet been found, and is one of the leading causes of death in the world. The main purpose of many recent studies in this field is to understand the regulatory mechanisms associated with apoptosis and to provide new approaches to the development of anticancer drugs. Ceramide, a sphingolipid group molecule, has a great effect on triggering apoptosis, regulating cell proliferation and migration in the pathogenesis and treatment of cancer. Studies have shown that ceramides, which have a key role, play a role in many of the apoptosis pathways and lead to programmed cell death when their levels increase in the cytoplasm. In this study, we investigated the effects of the combined form of C2 and C6 ceramide on lung cancer cells, which are the leading cause of death in Turkey and all over the world. For this, we first determined the effective dose of short-chain sphingolipids in vitro in a time-dependent manner, and determined the cytotoxicity effects of the combined form of C2 and C6 on A549 cells at the IC50 concentration we determined by MTT colorimetric test. As a result of double staining, we observed the morphological changes in the structure of the cells first with a confocal microscope and then with a transmission electron microscope. As a result, cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of C2 and C6 combined ceramide in A549 human lung cancer cell line are determined and as a result of our study, morphological and fine structural changes in cells indicating apoptosis are determined. After this study, sphingolipid and lipid metabolism of cells were associated with cancer treatment, and a new treatment approach option was presented. We believe that our results will shed light on other prospective studies on the use of C2 and C6 combined forms as an alternative treatment type in lung cancer.