Our aim was to detect the effect of modulated electro-hyperthermia (mEHT) on cell
viability and to examine if hyperthermia can augment the cell killing effect of various
chemotherapeutic agents. B16F10 melanoma cells were treated for 30, 60, 90 and 120
minutes with mEHT using LabEHY100 (OncothermTM). Cell viability was measured using
MTT assay and apoptosis by Annexin V/7-AAD staining using flow cytometry 24 hours
post-treatment. For analyzing gene
expression with qPCR cells were harvested after 60 minutes treatment. In combined
protocols, cells were treated with paclitaxel (40 nM), dacarbazine (40 μM) or nutlin-3a
(10 μM) after mEHT. mEHT induced nuclear translocation of p53 which in turn regulates
pro- and anti-apoptotic gene expression accounting for decreased cell viability. In
combination with chemotherapy, mEHT augmented the cell killing effect of dacarbazine
or nutlin-3a but not that of paclitaxel
determined 48 hours post-treatment. The sensitizing effect on chemotherapeutics demonstrate
the efficiency of mEHT as an adjuvant modality in cancer treatment.
