DOI: 10.17776/csj.1914549 ISSN: 2587-2680

Combined Anticancer Effects of Curcumin and Serotonin on U87 Human Glioblastoma Cells: In Vitro and Molecular Docking Analysis

Yasemin Yılmazer
Show PDF Cite
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive primary brain tumor and is characterized by rapid proliferation, extensive invasion, and resistance to conventional therapies. Natural bioactive compounds have attracted increasing attention as potential anticancer agents due to their multi-targeted mechanisms and relatively low toxicity. In this study, the antiproliferative and antimigratory effects of curcumin and serotonin, individually and in combination, were investigated in U87 human glioblastoma cells. Cell viability was evaluated using the MTS assay after treatment with different concentrations of curcumin and serotonin for 24–96 h. A scratch wound healing assay was performed to assess their effects on cell migration. In addition, molecular docking analyses were conducted to investigate the interactions of curcumin and serotonin with cancer-related proteins, including BCL-2, PI3K, and mTOR. The results demonstrated that both curcumin (20,30 and 40 μM) and serotonin (200 μM) reduced cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Their combined treatment produced a stronger inhibitory effect on cell proliferation and migration compared with individual treatments. Molecular docking analysis also revealed stronger binding affinities for the combined ligands toward PI3K, mTOR, and BCL-2. These findings suggest that the combination of curcumin and serotonin may represent a promising multi-targeted therapeutic strategy for glioblastoma.

More from our Archive