Attenuating effect of sialic acid on GD-2 expression under Temozolomide treatment in glioma cell line
Archives of Advances in Biosciences,
Vol. 17 No. 1 (2026),
28 April 2026
https://doi.org/10.22037/aab.v17i1.52614
Abstract
Background and Aim: Targeted therapies have demonstrated promising and safe results in clinical trials. However, due to instances of drug failure, researchers have investigated combinatorial therapies to improve therapeutic outcomes. The presence of hypersialylated tumor cell surfaces promotes abnormal cell trafficking and contributes to drug resistance, yet its mechanistic role in astrocytoma is not fully understood.
In this study, we comparatively evaluated the impact of sialic acid, temozolomide, and their combination on cell viability and apoptosis using IC50 and EC50 values. Additionally, Real-Time PCR was used to analyze GD-2 synthase expression following combined treatment to investigate the underlying reasons for drug failure in combinatorial therapy.
Methods: The values of Inhibitory Concentration (IC50) and Enhanced Concentration (EC50) were determined using the MTT assay, and GD-2 synthase gene expression was evaluated by RT-qPCR across distinct treatment categories.
Results: Sialic acid reduced Temozolomide cytotoxicity and GD-2 gene expression. Despite the fact that TMZ had no significant effect on GD-2 synthase expression, suggesting no interfering trace on anti-GD2 immunotherapy, the IC50 of TMZ changed in the presence of sialic acid. This alteration may be associated with the development of drug resistance in cancerous cells, which may affect the molecular mechanism of drug failure and the proposed beneficial purpose for targeted therapy to achieve superior therapeutic outcomes.
Conclusion: The present research indicates that sialic acid may promote cancer progression and decreases the effectiveness of anticancer drugs, including chemotherapy and GD2 antigen expression, and has the potential to reduce the effectiveness of anti-GD2-based immunotherapy. Hence, considering sialic acid levels or its biosynthesis within a multimodal therapeutic framework may serve as an effective strategy to mitigate its adverse impact on treatment outcomes.
- Sialic Acid
- Temozolomide
- glioma cell line
- GD-2 antigen
- immunotherapy
How to Cite
References
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