Cytotoxic and antioxidant effects of paclitaxel and glutathione combination on breast cancer cell line

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of glutathione (GSH) on chemotherapy-related toxicities in MCF-7 breast cancer cell line treated with paclitaxel (PTX) by cell viability and oxsidative stres parameters. Materials and Methods: Cells were treated with glutathione (2.5-20 mM) and paclitaxel (0.001-100 µM) for 24, 48 and 72 hours, after which cell viability was determined by WST-1 assay. IC50 values were calculated from the data obtained. Following combination analyses, the combination index was calculated and the levels of glutathione, total oxidant species (TOS) and total antioxidant species (TAS) were measured in cell lysates exposed to the indicated combinations for 72 hours. Results: In the study, it was determined that the cytotoxic effect of paclitaxel decreased as the amount of glutathion used in the combinations increased and glutathion concentrations above 10 mM showed antagonistic effect with paclitaxel. Conclusion: In patients with breast cancer, the administration of appropriate doses of glutathione in combination with chemotherapy may prove beneficial in reducing the adverse effects associated with oxidative stress.