Therapeutic Effects of Ceranib-2 and Irinotecan Combination on Colon Cancer

The present study investigated the anticancer effects of irinotecan (IR) combined with the acid ceramidase inhibitor Ceranib-2 in HT-29 human colorectal cancer cells. Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay, apoptosis was evaluated by Annexin V flow cytometry, and morphological alterations were examined by fluorescence microscopy. Both irinotecan and Ceranib-2 significantly reduced cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Notably, the combination treatment produced greater growth inhibition than either agent alone (p < 0.01). Morphological analysis revealed pronounced apoptotic features, including nuclear condensation, membrane blebbing, and cytoskeletal disruption, particularly in the combination-treated cells. Annexin V analysis further demonstrated that combined treatment markedly increased apoptotic cell populations compared with single-agent treatments (p < 0.01). These findings suggest that Ceranib-2 enhances the anticancer activity of irinotecan and that this combination may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for colorectal cancer.