title: In vitro effects of cocaine on tunneling nanotube formation and extracellular vesicle release in glioblastoma cell cultures.
abstract: The effects of cocaine (150 nM, 300 nM, and 150 μM) on human glioblastoma cell cultures were studied on tunneling nanotube formation (1-h cocaine treatment) and extracellular vesicle release (1-, 3-, and 8-h cocaine treatment). Cocaine significantly increased the number of tunneling nanotubes only at the lowest concentration used. The release of extracellular vesicles (mainly exosomes) into the medium was stimulated by cocaine at each concentration used with a maximum effect at the highest concentration tested (150 μM). Moreover, cocaine (150 nM) significantly increased the number of vesicles with 61-80 nm diameter while at concentrations of 300 nM and 150 μM, and the smaller vesicles (30-40 nm diameter) were significantly increased with a reduction of the larger vesicles (41-60 nm diameter). A time dependence in the release of extracellular vesicles was observed. In view of the proposed role of these novel intercellular communication modes in the glial-neuronal plasticity, it seems possible that they can participate in the processes leading to cocaine addiction. The molecular target/s involved in these cocaine effects could be specific molecular components of plasma membrane lipid rafts and/or cocaine-induced modifications in cytoplasmic lipid composition.
authors.affiliation: Fondazione Ospedale San Camillo/IRCCS, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carone
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic, Clinical Medicine and Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 287, 41125, Modena, Italy. susanna.genedani@unimore.it.
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Genedani
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Metabolic Sciences and Neuroscience, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 287, 41125, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Metabolic Sciences and Neuroscience, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 287, 41125, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Filaferro
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kjell
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fuxe
authors.affiliation: Fondazione Ospedale San Camillo/IRCCS, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi Francesco
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Agnati
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005089:Exocytosis; D055354:Exosomes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D043942:Nanotubes
chemical_list: D003042:Cocaine