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Article

Effect of Treatment with a Combination of Dichloroacetate and Valproic Acid on Adult Glioblastoma Patient-Derived Primary Cells Xenografts on the Chick Embryo Chorioallantoic Membrane

by
Rūta Skredėnienė
1,
Donatas Stakišaitis
1,2,*,
Aidanas Preikšaitis
3,
Angelija Valančiūtė
1,
Vaiva Lesauskaitė
4 and
Ingrida Balnytė
1
1
Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, 44307 Kaunas, Lithuania
2
Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Institute, 08660 Vilnius, Lithuania
3
Centre of Neurosurgery, Clinic of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, 03101 Vilnius, Lithuania
4
Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, 50009 Kaunas, Lithuania
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Pharmaceutics 2026, 18(1), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18010052
Submission received: 19 November 2025 / Revised: 17 December 2025 / Accepted: 23 December 2025 / Published: 30 December 2025
(This article belongs to the Topic Recent Advances in Anticancer Strategies, 2nd Edition)

Abstract

Background/Objectives: The ineffectiveness of current treatments for glioblastoma underscores the urgent need for effective alternatives. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of sodium dichloroacetate (NaDCA) and a sodium valproate NaDCA combination (NaVPA–NaDCA) on formed patients’ primary cell tumors on the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). Methods: Glioblastoma tissue samples were obtained from three patients during tumor surgery. WHO grade IV, IDH wild-type, and a strong positive cytoplasmic GFAP reaction in tumor cells characterized the investigated glioblastoma cases. The tumor cells GBM2-2F, GBM2-3F, and GBM-4M from the patients were examined. Histological examination of tumor invasion into CAM, angiogenesis, and immunohistochemical expression of GFAP-, PCNA-, p53-, EZH2- and vimentin-positive cells were examined. Results: No difference in GFAP expression was observed between the patient’s GBM tumor tissue and the tumor formed on CAM from the same patient’s tumor cells. There were no significant differences in invasion or in the frequency of GFAP- and p53-positive cells among the study control groups. The expression of PCNA-, EZH2-, and vimentin-positive cells in control tumors varied significantly. Treatment significantly reduced the incidence of tumor invasion in GBM2-2F and GBM2-4M and did not affect GBM2-3F tumors; treatment also significantly reduced GFAP expression in GBM2-3F and GBM2-4M and did not affect GBM2-2F tumors. The treatment with NaVPA–NaDCA significantly reduced the expression of PCNA, p53, EZH2 and vimentin in the tested tumors. Conclusions: Data demonstrated an antitumor effect of NaVPA–NaDCA in an in vivo model of a patient’s primary glioblastoma cells.
Keywords: adult glioblastoma; GFAP; PCNA; p53; EZH2; vimentin; dichloroacetate-valproic acid combination; patient-derived tumor cells; chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane model adult glioblastoma; GFAP; PCNA; p53; EZH2; vimentin; dichloroacetate-valproic acid combination; patient-derived tumor cells; chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane model

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MDPI and ACS Style

Skredėnienė, R.; Stakišaitis, D.; Preikšaitis, A.; Valančiūtė, A.; Lesauskaitė, V.; Balnytė, I. Effect of Treatment with a Combination of Dichloroacetate and Valproic Acid on Adult Glioblastoma Patient-Derived Primary Cells Xenografts on the Chick Embryo Chorioallantoic Membrane. Pharmaceutics 2026, 18, 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18010052

AMA Style

Skredėnienė R, Stakišaitis D, Preikšaitis A, Valančiūtė A, Lesauskaitė V, Balnytė I. Effect of Treatment with a Combination of Dichloroacetate and Valproic Acid on Adult Glioblastoma Patient-Derived Primary Cells Xenografts on the Chick Embryo Chorioallantoic Membrane. Pharmaceutics. 2026; 18(1):52. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18010052

Chicago/Turabian Style

Skredėnienė, Rūta, Donatas Stakišaitis, Aidanas Preikšaitis, Angelija Valančiūtė, Vaiva Lesauskaitė, and Ingrida Balnytė. 2026. "Effect of Treatment with a Combination of Dichloroacetate and Valproic Acid on Adult Glioblastoma Patient-Derived Primary Cells Xenografts on the Chick Embryo Chorioallantoic Membrane" Pharmaceutics 18, no. 1: 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18010052

APA Style

Skredėnienė, R., Stakišaitis, D., Preikšaitis, A., Valančiūtė, A., Lesauskaitė, V., & Balnytė, I. (2026). Effect of Treatment with a Combination of Dichloroacetate and Valproic Acid on Adult Glioblastoma Patient-Derived Primary Cells Xenografts on the Chick Embryo Chorioallantoic Membrane. Pharmaceutics, 18(1), 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18010052

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