title: Pretreatment but not subsequent coincubation with midazolam reduces the cytotoxicity of temozolomide in neuroblastoma cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Temozolomide (TMZ) induces a G2/M cell cycle arrest and is used for treatment of paediatric tumours, especially neuroblastomas. Patients treated with TMZ frequently receive midazolam for sedation prior to surgery and other interventions. Previous studies suggested both cytoprotective and apoptosis-inducing properties of midazolam. Therefore, the impact of midazolam on TMZ-induced cytotoxicity was investigated in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human neuroblastoma cells were incubated with midazolam alone, as a pretreatment prior to incubation with TMZ or a coincubation of both. Cell viability and proliferation was analysed (XTT and BrdU assay) after 24 h and flowcytometric cell cycle analysis was performed after 24 and 48 h.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Midazolam alone increased cell viability at lower concentrations (2, 4, 8, 16 μM), whereas higher concentrations (128, 256, 512 μM) reduced cell viability. Pretreatment with midazolam 6 h prior to TMZ incubation reduced cytotoxic effects (IC25 1005 ± 197 μM; IC50 1676 ± 557 μM; P < 0.05) compared to incubation with TMZ alone (IC25 449 ± 304 μM; IC50 925 ± 196 μM) and reduced the antiproliferative effect of TMZ (1000 μM) by 43.9 % (P < 0.05). In contrast, cytotoxic effects of TMZ were increased (IC75 1175 ± 221 μM vs. 2764 ± 307 μM; P < 0.05) when midazolam pretreatment was followed by coincubation of midazolam and TMZ. Cell cycle analysis revealed increased fractions of cells in G2/M phase after TMZ treatment (100 μM; 48 h), irrespective of midazolam pretreatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Midazolam causes a hormetic dose-response relationship in human neuroblastoma cells. Pretreatment with midazolam reduces the cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects of TMZ without interfering with G2/M cell cycle arrest. In contrast, subsequent midazolam coincubation increases overall cytotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany. brauns@uni-duesseldorf.de.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany. Inge.Bauer@med.uni-duesseldorf.de.
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany. Benedikt.Pannen@med.uni-duesseldorf.de.
authors.forename: Benedikt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pannen
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany. Robert.Werdehausen@med.uni-duesseldorf.de.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Werdehausen
mesh_terms: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D059565:G2 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D059566:M Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects; D008874:Midazolam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000077204:Temozolomide; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D003606:Dacarbazine; D008874:Midazolam; D000077204:Temozolomide