pyrimidinones and thiazolyl-blue

Depolarization of cultured mouse cerebellar granule cells with potassium or kainate results in developmentally arrested state that includes down-regulation of GABA(A) receptor alpha1, alpha6 and beta2 subunit expression. These subunits are normally strongly expressed in cerebellar granule cells from second postnatal week throughout the adulthood. In the present study we demonstrate that selective activation of AMPA subtype of glutamate receptors down-regulates alpha1 and alpha6 subunit mRNA expression. Removal of AMPA agonist from culture medium restores expression of these subunits indicating reversibility of the down-regulation. In serum-free culture medium AMPA receptor activation did not down-regulate alpha1 or alpha6 subunit expression. Furthermore, the down-regulation was strongly attenuated when the cells were cultured in the presence of dialysed fetal calf serum. The results indicate that down-regulation of GABA(A) receptor alpha1 and alpha6 subunits by AMPA receptor activation is dependent on the presence of low molecular weight compounds present in fetal calf serum. In order to study mouse cerebellar granule cell maturation and/or regulation of GABA(A) receptor subunit expression in culture, the experiments should be performed in the absence of fetal calf serum.

Topics: Alanine; Animals; Cells, Cultured; Cerebellum; Coloring Agents; Culture Media, Serum-Free; Down-Regulation; GABA Agonists; GABA Antagonists; GABA-A Receptor Antagonists; GluK2 Kainate Receptor; Kainic Acid; Mice; Neurons; Protein Binding; Pyrimidinones; Quinoxalines; Receptors, AMPA; Receptors, GABA-A; Receptors, Kainic Acid; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger; Tetrazolium Salts; Thiazoles

We isolated and characterized cell lines resistant to aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) derived from a murine adenocarcinoma and studied cross resistance with other injuries. The most resistant clones were numbers 4 and 8, which exhibited 6.7- and 4.2-fold increase in resistance respectively. Several characteristics were altered in these clones. A 2-fold increase in cell volume, higher cell spreading, and a more fibroblastic, dendritic pattern, were the morphology features that led us to think they could have different adhesive, invasive or metastatic phenotypes. The amount of porphyrins synthesized per cell in the resistant clones was similar to the parental line but, when it was expressed per mg protein, there was a 2-fold decrease, with a higher proportion of hydrophilic porphyrins. These cells were not cross-resistant to photosensitization with Benzoporphyrin derivative and Merocyanine 540, but exhibited a slight resistance to exogenous protoporphyrin IX treatment. Both clones displayed higher protein content and increased number of mitochondria, together with a higher oxygen consumption. The distinctive features found in the resistant lines led as to think how to exploit the changes induced by PDT treatment to target surviving cells. Those hypoxic cells can be also a preferential target of bioreductive drugs and hypoxia-directed gene therapy, and would be sensitive to treatment with other photosensitizers.

Topics: Aminolevulinic Acid; Animals; Cell Line, Tumor; Light; Mice; Oxygen Consumption; Photochemotherapy; Photosensitizing Agents; Porphyrins; Protoporphyrins; Pyrimidinones; Tetrazolium Salts; Thiazoles

The antioxidant action of carotenoids is believed to involve quenching of singlet oxygen and scavenging of reactive oxygen radicals. However, the exact mechanism by which carotenoids protect cells against oxidative damage, particularly in the presence of other antioxidants, remains to be elucidated. This study was carried out to examine the ability of exogenous zeaxanthin alone and in combination with vitamin E or C, to protect cultured human retinal pigment epithelium cells against oxidative stress. The survival of ARPE-19 cells, subjected to merocyanine 540-mediated photodynamic action, was determined by the MTT test and the content of lipid hydroperoxides in photosensitized cells was analyzed by HPLC with electrochemical detection. We found that zeaxanthin-supplemented cells, in the presence of either alpha-tocopherol or ascorbic acid, were significantly more resistant to photoinduced oxidative stress. Cells with added antioxidants exhibited increased viability and accumulated less lipid hydroperoxides than cells without the antioxidant supplementation. Such a synergistic action of zeaxanthin and vitamin E or C indicates the importance of the antioxidant interaction in efficient protection of cell membranes against oxidative damage induced by photosensitized reactions.

Topics: alpha-Tocopherol; Antioxidants; Ascorbic Acid; beta Carotene; Biological Assay; Cell Line; Cell Survival; Humans; Iron; Lipid Peroxidation; Oxidative Stress; Photochemistry; Photosensitizing Agents; Pigment Epithelium of Eye; Pyrimidinones; Singlet Oxygen; Tetrazolium Salts; Thiazoles; Xanthophylls; Zeaxanthins