Fluoxetine synergizes with temozolomide to induce the CHOP-dependent endoplasmic reticulum stress-related apoptosis pathway in glioma cells

Although temozolomide (TMZ) is the most effective chemotherapy agent for glioma, chemotherapy resistance has limited its clinical use. Fluoxetine (FLT), which is widely used in cancer-related depression, has exhibited potent anticancer properties in different cancer cell types. The aim of this study was i) to evaluate the antitumor mechanism of FLT, and ii) to further evaluate the effects of a combination of FLT and TMZ on glioma cells. Glioma cell lines were exposed to FLT and/or TMZ. Cell viability and apoptosis were examined by CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry and caspase-3 activity assay, respectively. The expression of endoplasmic reticulum-stress (ERS) apoptosis-related proteins was measured using real-time PCR and western blotting. Synergism between the two drugs was evaluated by the combination index (CI) through CompuSyn software. FLT significantly and dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation of various glioma cell lines, and rat glioma C6 cells had a highly sensitive response to the addition of FLT. FLT treatment increased the early apoptosis rate, induced typical apoptotic morphology in the C6 cells and activated caspase-3 with no change in the mitochondrial membrane potential. Further study showed that FLT activated the ERS marker, CHOP. This induction was associated with activation of the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 and ATF6 cascade. Concomitantly, GADD34, a downstream molecule of CHOP, was also increased. Combined FLT and TMZ treatment showed a synergistic cytotoxic effect in the C6 glioma cells. Knockdown of CHOP expression abolished the synergistic effect of FLT and TMZ in the C6 cells, which suggests that FLT may sensitize glioma cells to TMZ through activation of the CHOP-dependent apoptosis pathway. These results revealed that FLT induced glioma cell apoptosis and sensitized glioma cells to TMZ through activation of the CHOP-dependent apoptosis pathway. The present study provides a primary basis for using the combination of these drugs in patients with advanced glioma.