Thiazolidinediones and antiblastics in primary human anaplastic thyroid cancer cells

Abstract

Objective: No study has evaluated the antiproliferative effects of thiazolidinediones and antiblastics in 'primary cultured human anaplastic thyroid cancer cells'.

Design: Primary anaplastic cells proliferation was evaluated after incubation with increasing concentrations of rosiglitazone or pioglitazone or antiblastics (bleomycin, cisplatin, gemcitabine) by a proliferation assay (WST-1-tetrazolium reaction) and cell counting.

Measurements and results: A reduction of proliferation by thiazolidinediones at 1 h (from the start of tetrazolium reaction) [of 11% and 25%, with rosiglitazone, 10 or 20 (P = 0.0001) microM, respectively; of 7% and 17%, with pioglitazone, 10 or 20 (P = 0.0125) microM, respectively], and at 2 h [of 14% and 24%, with rosiglitazone, 10 (P = 0.0043) or 20 (P < 0.0001) microM, respectively; of 9% and 21%, with pioglitazone, 10 (P = 0.0397) or 20 (P = 0.0001) microM, respectively] was shown. No significant thiazolidinediones effect was observed in normal thyroid follicular cells. Bleomycin, cisplatin and gemcitabine significantly (P < 0.0001) inhibited (> 50%) anaplastic cells proliferation. Cell counting confirmed the above mentioned results. Inhibition of proliferation was similar in tumours with or without (V600E)BRAF mutation, both for thiazolidinediones and antiblastics.

Conclusions: Thiazolidinediones exert an antiproliferative effect in primary cultured human anaplastic carcinoma cells in vitro, such as antiblastics.