Flavonoids exert many beneficial properties, such as anticancer activity. They were found to have chemopreventive effects hindering carcinogenesis, and also being able to affect processes important for cancer cell pathophysiology inhibiting its growth or promoting cell death. There are also reports on the chemosensitizing properties of flavonoids, which indicate that they could be used as a support of anticancer therapy. It gives promise for a novel therapeutic approach in tumors characterized by ineffective treatment, such as high-grade gliomas. The research was conducted on the in vitro culture of human SW1783 anaplastic astrocytoma cells incubated with neobavaisoflavone (NEO), doxorubicin, etoposide, and their combinations with NEO. The analyses involved the WST-1 cell viability assay and image cytometry techniques including cell count assay, Annexin V assay, the evaluation of mitochondrial membrane potential, and the cell-cycle phase distribution. We found that NEO affects the activity of doxorubicin and etoposide by reducing the viability of SW1783 cells. The combination of NEO and etoposide caused an increase in the apoptotic and low mitochondrial membrane potential subpopulations of SW1783 cells. Changes in the cell cycle were observed in all combined treatments. These findings indicate a potential chemosensitizing effect exerted by NEO.
Keywords: apoptosis; cytostatic agents; doxorubicin; etoposide; flavonoids; glioma; isoflavones.