Antitumor activity of 5-hydroxy-3′,4′,6,7-tetramethoxyflavone in glioblastoma cell lines and its antagonism with radiotherapy

5-Hydroxy-3′,4′,6,7-tetramethoxyflavone (TMF) is a plant-origin flavone known for its anti-cancer properties. In the present study, the cytotoxic effect of TMF was evaluated in the U87MG and T98G glioblastoma (GBM) cell lines. The effect of TMF on cell viability was assessed with trypan blue exclusion assay and crystal violet staining. In addition, flow cytometry was performed to examine its effect on the different phases of the cell cycle, and in vitro scratch wound assay assessed the migratory capacity of the treated cells. Furthermore, the effect of in vitro radiotherapy was also evaluated with a combination of TMF and radiation. In both cell lines, TMF treatment resulted in G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, reduced cell viability, and reduced cell migratory capacity. In contrast, there was an antagonistic property of TMF treatment with radiotherapy. These results demonstrated the antineoplastic effect of TMF in GBM cells in vitro, but the antagonistic effect with radiotherapy indicated that TMF should be further evaluated for its possible antitumor role post-radiotherapy

Prevention of heterotopic ossification in high-risk patients with total hip arthroplasty: the experience of a combined therapeutic protocol

The combination of radiotherapy and indomethacin for the prevention of heterotopic ossification (HO) in high-risk patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) has not been reported. The aim of the present study was to present the experience of our department with this combined therapeutic protocol. Fifty-four patients who underwent THA received a single dose of 7 Gy of postoperative radiotherapy and 75 mg of indomethacin for 15 days. Patients were analyzed for clinical and radiographical evidence of HO development at 1 year postoperatively. The overall radiographical incidence of HO was 20.4% (95% CI 10.6–33.5%), while only 1 patient with clinically significant HO was seen. Patients with secondary arthritis due to congenital hip disease had a statistically significantly higher incidence of HO compared with those with osteoarthrosis. The clinical assessment with the Merle d’Aubigné score showed that patients with radiographic documentation of HO had a lower mean score compared with those with no evidence of HO. No treatment-related side effects were seen. Combined radiotherapy and indomethacin was effective in preventing heterotopic ossification after total hip arthroplasty. The evaluation of this efficacy compared with radiotherapy or NSAIDs alone should be the future target of larger randomized designs