title: Response of medulloblastoma cells to vincristine and lomustine: role of TRKC, CTNNB1 and STK15.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vincristine and lomustine are two important chemotherapeutic drugs used for the treatment of different types of neoplasms, including medulloblastomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the effects of vincristine and lomustine on 12 primary medulloblastoma cell cultures and the DAOY cell line using the annexinV-flow cytometry and immunoblotting techniques, following treatment of cells for different periods of time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both drugs triggered apoptosis and cell cycle delay at the G(2)/M phase and also up-regulated p16. Furthermore, the expression of 8 different cancer-related genes were assessed and their mRNA and protein levels were found to be highly heterogeneous and did not correlate in several medulloblastoma cultures. Importantly, there was significant correlation between the level of cadherin-associated protein beta 1 (CTNNB1) and Aurora kinase A (STK15) proteins and neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor type 3 (TRKC) mRNA and the proportion of apoptosis induced by vincristine, the combination of both drugs, and lomustine, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These genes could be of great importance as therapeutic biomarkers during the treatment of medulloblastoma patients with vincristine and lomustine.
authors: Department of Biological and Medical Research, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, K.S.A.
authors: Zakia
authors: Z
authors: Shinwari
authors: Hindi
authors: H
authors: Al-Hindi
authors: Essam
authors: E
authors: Al-Shail
authors: Yasser
authors: Y
authors: Khafaga
authors: Amani
authors: A
authors: Al-Kofide
authors: Nasser
authors: N
authors: El-Kum
authors: Abdelilah
authors: A
authors: Aboussekhra