Co-application of lidocaine and QX-572 induces divergent pain behaviours in mice.

Objectives: We investigated the analgesic effects of lidocaine (LDC) and lidocane derivative, QX-572, co-application on the evoked pain behaviour (complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA)-induced) and spontaneous pain behaviour (formalin-induced) in mice.

Methods: The experiments were performed using adult male Kunming mice. Formalin-induced acute pain model and CFA-induced chronic pain model was established by injecting formalin and CFA, respectively.

Caveolin-1 in the anterior cingulate cortex modulates chronic neuropathic pain via regulation of NMDA receptor 2B subunit.

Chronic pain is still a basic science and clinical challenge. Unraveling of the neurobiological mechanisms involved in chronic pain will offer novel targets for the development of therapeutic strategies. It is well known that central sensitization in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) plays a critical role in initiation, development, and maintenance of chronic pain.

Role of the cerebrospinal fluid-contacting nucleus in the descending inhibition of spinal pain transmission.

The brainstem is well recognized as a critical site for integrating descending modulatory systems that both inhibit and facilitate pain at the level of the spinal cord. The cerebrospinal fluid-contacting nucleus (CSF-contacting nucleus) distributes and localizes in the ventral periaqueductal central gray of the brainstem. Although emerging lines of evidence suggest that the CSF-contacting nucleus may be closely linked to transduction and regulation of pain signals, the definitive role of the CSF-contacting nucleus in pain modulation remains poorly understood.

Histone deacetylase inhibitor, 2-propylpentanoic acid, increases the chemosensitivity and radiosensitivity of human glioma cell lines in vitro.

Background: Treatment for malignant glioma generally consists of cytoreductive surgery followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In this study, we intended to investigate the effects of 2-propylpentanoic acid (VPA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, on chemosensitivity and radiosensitivity in human glioma cell lines.

Methods: Human glioma cell lines, T98-G, and SF295, were treated with temozolomide (TMZ) or irradiation (IR), with or without VPA (1.

[A method of acutely isolating rat dorsal root ganglion neurons for patch-clamp study of single-channel].

Objective: To establish a method of acutely isolating dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons for patch clamp study of single-channel.

Methods: DRG neurons of rats were acutely isolated by enzymatic digestion and mechanical blowing.

Results: The acutely isolated DRG cells were easy to form the higher sealing resistance (> 5G Omega), which lowered noise level, so that pA-level single channel currents could be recorded.

Autophagy induced by valproic acid is associated with oxidative stress in glioma cell lines.

Autophagy represents an alternative tumor-suppressing mechanism that overcomes the dramatic resistance of malignant gliomas to radiotherapy and proapoptotic-related chemotherapy. This study reports that valproic acid (VPA), a widely used anti-epilepsy drug, induces autophagy in glioma cells. Autophagy, crucial for VPA-induced cell death, is independent of apoptosis, even though apoptotic machinery is proficient.

Role of ERCC1 promoter hypermethylation in drug resistance to cisplatin in human gliomas.

Overexpression of ERCC1 mRNA is associated with drug resistance to cisplatin in human gliomas, but the role of the ERCC1 promoter in drug resistance has not been demonstrated. We have used sodium bisulfite sequencing to compare ERCC1 promoter methylation patterns in cisplatin-sensitive and cisplatin-resistant glioma cells. The levels of ERCC1 DNA methylation, mRNA and protein in 32 human glioma samples were examined by methylation specific PCR, real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively.

Activities of DNA-PK and Ku86, but not Ku70, may predict sensitivity to cisplatin in human gliomas.

Objective: This study was designed to investigate the relationship between activities of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), its subunits Ku86/Ku70, and sensitivities to cisplatin in human glioma samples.

Methods: Thirty-six glioma samples from patients without prior treatment before neurosurgery were included in this study. The sensitivities to cisplatin as indicated by IC(50) (the inhibitory concentration leading to 50% cell death) were assessed by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenytetrazolium (MTT) assay; activities of DNA-PK and Ku70/Ku86 were analyzed by SigmaTECT DNA-Dependent Protein Kinase Assay System and Ku70/Ku86 DNA Repair Kit, respectively.

[Correlation of DNA-PK activity with anti-cancer drug-sensitivity in human gliomas].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) activity and anti-cancer drug sensitivity in human glioma tissues.

Methods: Human glioma specimens were primarily cultured and its sensitivity to several anti-cancer drugs were evaluated by MTT assay. Nuclear protein was extracted from the glioma sample of the same patient and its DNA-PK activity was determined by a biotinylated DNA-PK assay with p53-derived peptide as a specific substrate.

[Expression of costimulator 4-1BBL and B7-1 on glioma cell lines].

Background & Objective: Costimulatory molecules 4-1BBL and B7-1 have been proposed to be therapeutic targets to improve and sustain antitumor immune response. This study was to investigate the expression of 4-1BBL and B7-1 on several glioma cell lines.

Methods: The expression of 4-1BBL and B7-1 on glioma cell lines T98G, MGR2, MGR1, SF767, SKMG1, SKMG4, and UW28 was detected by flow cytometry.