Purpose

To find whether synergy exists between IP6 and PG490 drug concentration combinations in specific cancer cell lines.
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Inositol Hexaphosphate
IP6 is found in grain and inhibits cancer cell proliferation.
Triptolide
PG490 is found in a Chinese mushroom and induces cell death.

Synergy
Multiple drugs working together to produce a more effective result.

  Results Experiment 1
A549 and MCF7 Cells

Data Collection:
An MTS Assay was conducted on the microtiter plate with the A549 cells as well as the MCF7 cells. In each plate, the first three cells in row A were filled up only with medium and contained no cells, providing a base value of absorption when conducting the MTS Assay. This three cells contained medium only. It is important to note that there was some precipitate present at the higher concentrations of IP6 (1mM and 10mM), and thus, these cells were not included in with the results.

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From the data collected, averages were taken for every 2 columns from rows B – H (since these were done in duplicate) and then subtracted from the average of the first three cells in row A. For example, in the A549 cells, 0.544 and 0.53 were averaged and then the average of 0.223, 0.203 and 0.119 was subtracted from it. These values were then plotted on a graph.

Data Analysis:

Refer to Figure 1a(i).
From the first graph of the A549 cells, there is a clear decrease in absorbance of the MTS Assay as the concentrations of PG490 increase. This shows that the PG490 is affecting the cell proliferation, as it is killing off many of the cells when it is at a high concentration.
As well, in the first graph, as the IP6 concentrations increases, we that the cancer cells remain at a constant absorbance, in some cases we do see growth. From this however, we can determine that the IP6 is serving its purpose in preventing the cells growing at an accelerated rate.

In order to test if the two drugs are indeed synergetic and not additive, the IC50 need to be determined for both drugs alone. To do this, first the IP6 concentrations without the PG490 is graphed against the absorbance for the A549 cells and vice versa.
Refer to Figure 1a(ii)
Refer to Figure 1a(iii)
From the graph, the IC50 cannot be determined, simply because the IP6 is not killing the cells, rather inhibiting them from growing. When the PG490 concentrations are graphed against the absorbance, the IC50 is found to be about 7.0ng/mL.

Refer to Figure 1a(iv)
When IP6 concentrations with 10.0ng/mL PG490 (the closest used concentrations to 7.0ng/mL) was graphed against the absorbance, no change is detected in the graph. The IP6 is not affected with the PG490 concentrations. Once again this could be because the IP6 concentrations are too low to be effective against the cells. If higher concentrations of the drug were used in the next experiments, synergism may be detected.


Refer to Figure 1b(i)
From the second graph of the MCF7 cells, there is a clear decrease in absorbance of the MTS Assay as the concentrations of PG490 increase. This shows that the PG490 is affecting the cell proliferation, as it is killing off many of the cells when it is at a high concentration.

As well, in the graph, as the IP6 concentrations increases, we that the cancer cells remain at a constant absorbance, in some cases we do see growth. From this however, we can determine that the IP6 is serving its purpose in preventing the cells growing at an accelerated rate.

In order to test if the two drugs are indeed synergetic and not additive, the IC50 need to be determined for both drugs alone. To do this, first the IP6 concentrations without the PG490 is graphed against the absorbance for the MCF7 cells and vice versa.
Refer to Figure 1b(ii)
Refer to Figure 1b(iii)
From the graph, the IC50 cannot be determined, simply because the IP6 is not killing the cells, rather inhibiting them from growing.

When the PG490 concentrations are graphed against the absorbance, the IC50 is found to be about 0.6ng/mL. When concentrations of the IP6 against the absorbencies recorded at IP6 concentrations at the PG490 concentrations of 1.0ng/mL (the closest used concentrations to 0.6ng/mL), the results do not allow for a graph.


 

copyright © 2004, Chris Cheung, Colin Fung, Aaron Chow