We explored the effectiveness of combining vitamin C with plasma-conditioned medium to treat glioblastoma, a highly aggressive brain tumor. In our study involving both cultured glioblastoma cells and mouse models—where tumors were formed either under the skin or in the brain—we observed promising results.
The combination treatment of vitamin C and plasma-conditioned medium reduced the survival and growth of the tumor cells significantly more than each treatment used alone. We also noted that this approach encouraged cell death, or apoptosis, which is a positive outcome in cancer treatment.
Intriguingly, vitamin C appeared to boost the activity of aquaporin-3, a channel that helps cells absorb substances more effectively. When used together, the treatments increased levels of reactive oxygen species, such as hydrogen peroxide, which contributed to their effectiveness. The combination also activated a specific signaling pathway in cells, leading to enhanced cancer-fighting effects.
However, our results also showed that the effectiveness of the treatments could be lessened when a specific inhibitor of the signaling pathway was used. Overall, these findings suggest that the pairing of vitamin C and plasma-conditioned media could offer a new avenue for treating glioblastoma, which could lead to further exploration in the field of cancer therapies.
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We aimed to understand how a lack of vitamin C influences the growth of glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive types of brain tumors. Using guinea pigs, we tested the effects of a vitamin C-deficient diet on tumor growth caused by two different human glioblastoma cell lines, U87-MG and HSVT-C3.
Through this study, we observed that the absence of vitamin C significantly hindered tumor proliferation in both models. Notably, we found that vitamin C deficiency reduced factors associated with tumor growth, such as vasculature and immune cell infiltration, particularly in the HSVT-C3 cells, which are known for their stem cell-like properties.
Our findings suggest that vitamin C plays a crucial role in supporting tumor growth, and when absent, it can lead to a notable reduction in glioblastoma progression. This emphasizes the potential importance of maintaining adequate vitamin C levels for patient outcomes in brain tumor scenarios.
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Vitamin C in integrative treatmentOncothermia and Integrative Medicine-A Novel Paradigm for Infratentorial Meningioma Management: A Case Report With One-Year Follow-Up.
Combination therapy limits evaluation
We looked into the use of vitamin C as part of a broader treatment strategy for managing infratentorial meningiomas, a type of brain tumor. The approach involved multiple therapies, including oncothermia, ozone therapy, and homeopathy, in a 60-year-old male patient who was not a candidate for surgery.
Vitamin C was combined with these various therapies, making it challenging to determine its standalone impact on the tumor. Throughout the follow-up assessments, significant symptom relief and tumor size reduction were observed. However, because vitamin C was part of a multifaceted treatment plan, it's hard to say just how much it contributed on its own.
Overall, this case highlights the potential of integrative medicine in improving brain tumor management, but further studies are necessary to isolate the effects and benefits of vitamin C specifically. As it stands, we recognize the need for more detailed research to better understand how vitamin C can fit into the treatment landscape for brain tumors like infratentorial meningiomas.
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Vitamin C's potent glioblastoma effectsAnalysis of High-Dose Ascorbate-Induced Cytotoxicity in Human Glioblastoma Cells and the Role of Dehydroascorbic Acid and Iron.
Considered vitamin C and iron
We explored how high doses of vitamin C, or ascorbate, affect human glioblastoma cells, which are known for being aggressive brain tumors. In our investigation, we treated these cancer cells with ascorbate and noted its high cytotoxicity and ability to hinder cell growth.
Interestingly, we found that vitamin C was significantly more effective than dehydroascorbic acid, a related compound, in promoting cell death. The study also revealed that the death of these cells did not follow the typical path of apoptosis, which is often how cancer cells are understood to die.
To further understand the mechanism, we introduced iron to the cells prior to vitamin C treatment. This step led to a marked increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, which are substances that can cause damage to cells.
What’s particularly noteworthy is that this treatment resulted in a type of cell death known as ferroptosis, differentiating it from apoptosis. This finding sheds light on both the effectiveness of vitamin C in combating glioblastoma and potential methods to amplify its impact when used therapeutically.
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Vitamin C shows promise in glioblastomaPharmacological Akt and JNK Kinase Inhibitors 10-DEBC and SP600125 Potentiate Anti-Glioblastoma Effect of Menadione and Ascorbic Acid Combination in Human U251 Glioblastoma Cells.
Combination treatment's potential explored
We explored the potential of combining vitamin C with menadione to treat glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive brain tumors. This approach was designed to leverage the combination's ability to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are harmful to cancer cells.
In our study, we specifically looked at how inhibiting two important signaling pathways—Akt and JNK—might amplify the effectiveness of this vitamin-C-based treatment. Our results showed that the combination of vitamin C and menadione significantly induced stress in glioblastoma cells, leading to increased cell death.
Moreover, when we used a small Akt inhibitor, 10-DEBC, we noticed that it enhanced the cytotoxic effects of the combination treatment. This effect was tied to increased autophagy and higher levels of ROS in the cells. On the other hand, attempting to activate Akt pharmacologically reduced the effectiveness of the combination.
Additionally, we found that using SP600125, a JNK inhibitor, further increased the treatment's toxicity, correlating with elevated ROS levels. Overall, these findings suggest that vitamin C, when combined with menadione and specific inhibitors, can significantly improve the anti-glioblastoma effects through enhanced oxidative stress and autophagy activation.
While our study highlighted the promising potential of this combination treatment, we recognize that further exploration is necessary to fully understand its effects and implications in a clinical setting.
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