Synergistic Anticancer Effects of Low-Frequency Magnetic Field and Doxorubicin on Glioblastoma Cell Line

Year 2025, Volume: 4 Issue: 1, 25 - 36, 13.07.2025

Hilal Ergene , Murat Aydemir , Mehmet Enes Arslan , Gürkan Berber , Dilara Esra Men , Hatice Karataş , Elif Arslan , Cihat Aksakal , Hasan Türkez

Abstract

Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most aggressive primary brain tumors of the central nervous system, with a limited median survival of approximately 15 months despite current treatment options. In this study, the effects of a low-frequency magnetic field (LF-MF) in combination with the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DOX) on the glioblastoma cell line (U87MG) were investigated. In the experimental design, U87MG cells were exposed to LF-MF at intensity of 1 mT and treated with different concentrations of DOX (5 µg/ml and 10 µg/ml). Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay, nuclear morphological changes were analyzed with Hoechst 33258 staining, and apoptotic and necrotic cell percentages were determined by flow cytometry. The results showed that DOX alone reduced cell viability in a dose-dependent manner (IC₅₀= 3.22 µg/ml). However, in the presence of LF-MF, DOX's cytotoxic effect increased, leading to a decrease in the IC₅₀ value to 2.18 µg/ml. Flow cytometry analyses revealed that while 5 µg/ml and 10 µg/ml DOX alone increased apoptotic cell percentages to 23.4% and 38.7%, respectively, these rates increased to 37.2% and 52.5% when combined with LF-MF. Compared to the control group, LF-MF did not alter toxicity in the healthy fibroblast cell line (HDFa) and had no additional effect on DOX-induced cell death. However, in glioblastoma cells, LF-MF-supported DOX treatment significantly enhanced cell death, suggesting that LF-MF may improve DOX efficacy by increasing cell membrane permeability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. This study demonstrates that the combination of LF-MF and DOX exerts a synergistic effect on glioblastoma cells by enhancing cell death. LF-MF-assisted chemotherapy strategies could be a potential alternative in glioblastoma treatment, but further molecular and biochemical studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Keywords

Glioblastoma , Low-Frequency Magnetic Field , Doxorubicin , Apoptosis , Chemotherapy , Cell Viability

Supporting Institution

TUBİTAK

Project Number

1919B012317274

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