Purpose: To investigate antiproliferative and radiosensitizing effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on medulloblastoma (MB) Daoy cells.
Methods and materials: Daoy cells were treated with CAPE in different concentrations and assessed for cell viability, apoptosis, cell cycles, cyclin B1 expressions, radiosensitization and chemosensitization. Human astroglia SVGp12 cells were treated with CAPE to present the possible protection or complication effects in normal tissues.
Results: CAPE inhibited the growth of Daoy cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in MTT and Trypan blue exclusion assays. Flow cytometry revealed that CAPE significantly decreased G2/M fraction, and increased the S phase fraction. Western blot demonstrated a down-regulated cyclin B1 protein expression. Pretreatment with CAPE markedly decreased the viability of irradiated Daoy cells. The sensitizer enhancement ratios (SERs) were increased in CAPE-treated Daoy cells. CAPE in doxorubicin and cisplatin did not show chemosensitizing effect.
Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the antiproliferative and radiosensitizing effects of CAPE for Daoy cells, which might bring improvement to the treatment of MB. For clinical application, in vivo models are expected.