In-Vitro Use of 5-ALA for Photodynamic Therapy in Pediatric Brain Tumors.

Background: Light irradiation (635 nm) of cells containing protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) after 5- aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) pretreatment causes cell death via different pathways including apoptosis and necrosis, as previously demonstrated for malignant glioma cells.

Objective: To elucidate whether various malignant pediatric brain tumors, which have been shown to accumulate PPIX, would also be susceptible to photodynamic therapy (PDT).

Methods: Medulloblastoma (DAOY, UW228), pNET (PFSK-1), and rhabdoid tumor (BT16) cell lines were incubated with 5-ALA in variable concentrations for 4 h.

5-ALA Fluorescence in Native Pituitary Adenoma Cell Lines: Resection Control and Basis for Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)?

Objective: Pituitary adenomas (PA), especially invasive ones, are often not completely resectable. Usage of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) for fluorescence guided surgery could improve the rate of total resection and, additionally, open the doors for photodynamic therapy (PDT) in case of unresectable or partially resected PAs. The aim of this study was to investigate the uptake of 5-ALA and the effect of 5-ALA based PDT in cell lines.

Fluorescence in neurosurgery: Its diagnostic and therapeutic use. Review of the literature.

Fluorescent agents, e.g. 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), fluorescein and indocyanine green (ICG) are in common use in neurosurgery for tumor resection and neurovascular surgery.

Inflammatory cytokine release of astrocytes in vitro is reduced by all-trans retinoic acid.

In the central nervous system inflammation is mediated by microglia and astrocytes. To investigate its regulation, murine astrocyte cultures were treated with bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and analyzed with Affymetrix gene array, qRT-PCR and ELISA. Cells responded to LPS with a strong upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines.

Inflammatory chemokine release of astrocytes in vitro is reduced by all-trans retinoic acid.

The production of chemokines by astrocytes constitutes an important component of neuroinflammatory processes in the brain. As the transcriptional activator retinoic acid (RA), used for chemotherapy and dermatological applications, exerts anti-inflammatory effects on monocytes and lymphocytes, we have tested whether the physiologically occurring isomer, all-trans RA, affects chemokine expression by astrocytes. Under control conditions, primary cultures of murine cortical astrocytes expressed no or very low levels of CCL and CXCL chemokines.