Carboplatin synergistically triggers the efficacy of photodynamic therapy via caspase 3-, 8-, and 12-dependent pathways in human anaplastic thyroid cancer cells
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of malignancies which grow very rapidly. Several conventional methods have been applied for the treatment of anaplastic thyroid cancer, but most of them were not successful in complete recovery of the patients. Therefore, a combination of two or more conventional modalities is being applied nowadays for the treatment of this type of cancer. In this present study, the combination of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and chemotherapy has been studied in anaplastic thyroid cancer. Human anaplastic thyroid cancer cells FRO were treated with a chemotherapy drug, carboplatin (cis-diammine-1,1-cyclobutanedicarboxyl-ateplatinum II (CBDCA)), and radachlorin-mediated PDT individually and in combination. Several parameters like cytotoxicity assay by MTT, apoptosis study by annexin V and propidium iodide, cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry, confocal microscopic study, and Western blot analysis for different apoptosis-related proteins like Bax, cytochrome c, caspases 3, 9, 8, and 12, etc. were studied to check the efficacy of the combination treatment as well as to find out the mechanism of this enhanced efficacy. Results showed that both PDT and CBDCA can induce apoptosis in FRO cells. However, a synergistic efficacy was observed when the cells were treated with CBDCA and PDT in combination. Changes in mitochondrial membrane potential and an increase in reactive oxygen species generation were observed in combination treatments. Th…
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Photodynamic therapy, used alone or in combination with chemotherapy, has given promising results in preclinical studies for thyroid cancer.
“Photodynamic therapy is a hope, which, used alone or in combination with previously used chemotherapy, gave promising results in preclinical studies. [6-10].”
From Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
Treating cells only with radachlorin did not result in significant changes in the percentage of cell viability.
“Treating cells only with radachlorin did not result in significant changes in the percentage of cell viability.”
From Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
Combined therapy was associated with a much better effect than individual therapies.
“The use of combined therapy was associated with a much better effect than that obtained after the use of individual therapies.”
From Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
The changes were much more marked in the case of combined treatment.
“The changes were much more marked in the case of combined treatment.”
From Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
Combination of PDT with chemotherapy inhibits tumor growth and induces cell apoptosis to a greater extent than chemotherapy alone, probably by increasing internalization of anticancer drugs and combating resistance to chemotherapy.
“Moreover, it has been shown that the combination of PDT with chemotherapy inhibits tumor growth and induces cell apoptosis to a greater extent than chemotherapy alone, probably by increasing the internalization of anticancer drugs and combating resistance to chemotherapy. [6,10]”
From Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
Combined therapy significantly decreased the percentage of cells in G0/G1.
“a significant decrease in the percentage of cells in G0/G1”
From Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
Combined radachlorin-PDT and carboplatin significantly decreased cell viability.
“A significant decrease in cell viability”
From Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
Combined therapy significantly increased expression of Bax, cytochrome c, caspase 3, caspase 9, caspase 12, PARP, and AIF proteins.
“a significantly increased expression of Bax, cytochrome c, caspase 3, caspase 9, caspase 12, poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) proteins”
From Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
Combined therapy significantly increased the percentage of sub-G1 cells.
“a significant increase in the percentage of sub-G1 cells”
From Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
A synergistic effect in combined treatment could be observed at a radachlorin concentration of at least 0.8 μg/ml and then gradually increased.
“A synergistic effect in combined treatment could be observed at a concentration of radachlorin of at least 0.8 μ g/ml and it was then gradually increased.”
From Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
The most commonly used photosensitizers in PDT for thyroid cancers include hypericin, porphyrin, photophrin, radachlorin, and 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA).
“The most commonly used PS in PDT for the treatment of thyroid cancers include hypericin, porphyrin, photophrin, radachlorin, and 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA). [8-10,14,32]”
From Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
Combined therapy significantly decreased Bcl-2 expression.
“a significant decrease in Bcl-2 expression”
From Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
PDT is associated with adverse effects including skin phototoxicity, liver damage, nausea, edema, and skin reactions.
“The literature reports skin phototoxicity, liver damage, nausea, edema, and skin reactions. [10]”
From Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
Combined therapy increased the percentage of cells showing signs of early and late apoptosis.
“an increased percentage of cells showing signs of early and late apoptosis”
From Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
The percentage of cell viability of anaplastic cancer lines was inversely proportional to the increase in concentration of radachlorin as PS in PDT, the increase in concentration of carboplatin, and the incubation time after laser irradiation.
“it was shown that the percentage of cell viability of anaplastic cancer lines was inversely proportional to the increase in the concentration of radachlorin as PS in PDT, the increase in the concentration of carboplatin and the incubation time after laser irradiation.”
From Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
These changes correlated with the concentration of radachlorin and carboplatin.
“the values correlated with the concentration of radachlorin and carboplatin”
From Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
Combined therapy significantly increased depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential.
“a significant increase in the depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential”
From Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
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Photodynamic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer
Inglot, J., Strzelczyk, J. K., Bartusik-Aebisher, D., & Aebisher, D. (2025) · BioMed · doi:10.3390/biomed5010008 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
- Authors
- Biswas, R., Chung, P.-S., Moon, J. H., Lee, S.-H., & Ahn, J.-C.
- Affiliations
- Dankook University (KR)
- Dankook University Hospital (KR)
- Corresponding author
- Ahn, Jin-Chul
- Venue
- Lasers in Medical Science
- Published
- 2013-10-10
- Volume
- 29
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 995-1007
- ISSN
- 0268-8921 (ISSN-L)
- 1435-604X
- OpenAlex
- W2141869560
- Cited by
- 19
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 1.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Lasers in Medical Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Photodynamic Therapy Research Studies
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Cell death mechanisms and regulation
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
- Keywords
- anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, photodynamic therapy, carboplatin, Radachlorin, combination therapy, apoptosis, caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-12, Bax, cytochrome c, mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species, synergistic drug efficacy
- MeSH terms
- Cell Cycle, Cell Survival, Combined Modality Therapy, Flow Cytometry, Humans, Photochemotherapy, Propidium, Blotting, Western, Signal Transduction, Carboplatin, Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate, Apoptosis, Annexin A5, Reactive Oxygen Species, Caspases, Mitochondrial Proteins, Cytochromes c, Cell Line, Tumor, Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial, Caspase 3, Caspase 8, Caspase 12, Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic
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