Measuring the Effect of Local Anesthetics on Cell Growth and Apoptosis in NB41A3 Cells
By Bhargavi Vatte | Valley Christian High School, San Jose, California, United States
I. Abstract
The purpose of this project was to find an optimal combination of local anesthetics (carbocaine, lidocaine, articaine) that yields the highest anti-cancer effects in neuroblastoma cells to decrease cancer recurrence post-neuroblastoma surgery. To conduct this experiment, NB41A3 (neuroblastoma) cells were cultured and treated with 6 combinations of anesthetics: lidocaine, mepivacaine, articaine, lidocaine + mepivacaine, lidocaine + articaine, and articaine + lidocaine. Cells were treated with the anesthetic combinations for an hour. A flow cytometer was used to conduct a live/dead assay to determine cell growth and apoptosis for each group. The experimental groups showed a higher rate of cell growth than the control group without anesthetics but lower rates of apoptosis. Thus, it can be deduced that all combinations of anesthetics lowered apoptosis rates, facilitating the development of cancer. However, while all anesthetics had substantial cell growth, the combination of lidocaine and articaine had the lowest cell growth rate of 10.1% [14.9(+) cells]. Although I had hypothesized this combination would have the highest anti-cancer effects, no experimental groups displayed anti-cancer effects in terms of cell growth; however, the lidocaine-articaine combination led to cancer cell growth to the lowest extent. Second to the control group which had an apoptosis rate of 43.33%, the experimental group treated with only carbocaine had the next highest apoptosis rate of 30.53%. Based on the results, a specific link can not be established between measuring local anesthetics’ effect on anticancer effects. Additionally, my hypothesis was not supported as none of the experimental groups had anti-cancer effects in terms of cell growth and all apoptosis rates were lower than the rate of the control group. Contrary to previous literature about local anesthetics, local anesthetics- carbocaine, lidocaine, and articaine- led to an increase of cancer in neuroblastoma rather than a suppression, however different anesthetics and combinations could lead to different effects. This could pose harmful effects for children exposed to local anesthetics during and after neuroblastoma surgery.
II. Research Poster
The research poster published, “Measuring the Effect of Local Anesthetics on Cell Growth and Apoptosis in NB41A3 Cells,” was received on June 10, 2024, and was reviewed and accepted on June 22, 2024. To contact editors and reviewers please click here.
