Diethylamino-curcumin mimic with trizolyl benzene enhances TRAIL-mediated cell death on human glioblastoma cells

Backgrounds Glioblastoma multiforme is one of the most aggressive human malignant brain tumors. Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is known as the death ligand, which induces preferential apoptosis of transformed cancer cells. In this study, we demonstrated that the newly synthesized diethylamino-curcumin mimic with trizolyl benzene (YM-4) enhances cytotoxicity in combination with TRAIL in human glioblastoma cells. Methods We synthesized diethylamino-curcumin mimic with trizolyl benzene (YM-4) and investigated possible apoptotic cell signaling by co-treatment with YM-4 and TRAIL on human glioblastoma cells. Results Caspase-8, 9, and 3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase were more efficiently cleaved with cotreatment of YM-4 and TRAIL than treatment with each alone in human glioblastoma cells. Co-treatment with YM-4 and TRAIL significantly increased the expression of Bax and Smac/Diablo and also inhibited the expression of the X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein and Survivin in human glioblastoma cells. Conclusion These results demonstrated that YM-4 can be an anticancer candidate that can be effective on human glioblastoma cells in combination with TRAIL.