DELTA-9 TETRAHYDROCANNABINOID AND GEMSITABIN COMBINATION ON NON-SMALL CELL (SQUAMOUS CELL, SK-MES-1) LUNG CANCER CELL LINE

Abstract

Squamous cell carcinoma falls within the category of non-small cell lung cancers, presenting a considerable challenge in terms of treatment management. There has been growing interest in the potential anti-cancer properties of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol. Gemcitabine, a nucleoside analog, has shown effectiveness against diverse cancer types. This study aimed to assess the combined efficacy of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol and Gemcitabine in treating cancer. The squamous lung cancer cell line required for our study was provided by the stem cell unit. The doses were determined as 5µm/L and 10µm/L for Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, 20 and 40 µm/Lfor Gemcitabine by performing a literature review. In our study, CellViabilityAnalysis by MTT, Xcelligence Real-Time Cell Analysis, Annexin V Apoptosis Flow Cytometry Analysis, Total Oxidant, Antioxidant Status, and Caspase-3 Detection Analysis was performed. Upon evaluating the rates of apoptotic cell death, it was observed that the THC 5 and THC 10 treatment groups exhibited a 30% and 60% increase, respectively, compared to the alcohol group. A significant difference in cytotoxic effect, as determined by MTT, was found between the control group and the Gemsitabin 20, Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol 5µm/L, and Gemsitabin 20+Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol 5µm/L groups (p<0.001). There was a statistically significant difference between the groups regarding TOS (p<0.001). All experimental groups exhibited a higher level of caspase 3 activations, in comparison to the control group. We observed a significant cytotoxic effect of Gemcitabine on squamous cell lung cancer cells. Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, when used alone, exhibited a relatively low cytotoxic effect. However, no significant difference was observed in the groups where Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinolwas combined with Gemcitabine.