Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of bumetanide on peri-tumor edema caused by photodynamic therapy (PDT) of intraparenchymal C6 glioma xenografts.
Methods: Seven days after inoculation with C6 cells, rats with MRI-confirmed glioma received hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether (HMME)-mediated PDT, injection of bumetanide or a combination of the two treatments. After treatment, tumor volume, tumor weight, brain water content, microvessel density, expression of NKCC-1, Zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), and animal survival time were examined.
Results: In the PDT group, tumor growth was significantly inhibited and survival prolonged. Bumetanide enhanced the efficacy of PDT and reduced PDT-induced peri-tumor edema in the combined PDT + bumetanide treatment group where NKCC-1 expression in response to PDT was significantly suppressed. ZO-1 expression was significantly suppressed in the PDT-only group. This suppression was not observed in the combined PDT + bumetanide treatment group.
Conclusion: PDT, in combination with bumetanide was seen to significantly inhibit the growth of C6 glioma, relieve peri-tumor edema caused by PDT alone and prolong survival. These results suggest that PDT, in combination with bumetanide, may be a useful and promising strategy in the treatment of human glioma.
Keywords: NKCC-1; Zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1); bumetanide; hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether; microvessel density; peri-tumor edema; photodynamic therapy.
© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.