Abstracts

RATIONALE:Epileptogenic foci in CNS(central nervous system) tumor patients are located in peritumoral site, where showed a marked reduction of neuron cell. This study was designed to address that tumor cells directly damage neuron cells. METHODS:Using LDH assay and special stain, we investigated whether cultured supernatants of astrocytoma cells, obtained from tumor patients with chronic epilepsy, induced the apoptosis of neuron cells or not. RESULTS:The death of neuron cells were occurred by treatment of cultured supernatants and protein extracted from cultured supernants. It was proved by Annexin-PI stain and DNA fragmentation that the death of neuron cells by tumor cells was apoptosis. The more maligant cells, the more neuronal death was introdued. Low doses of dexamethasone protect neuron cells. CONCLUSIONS:This suggests that the apoptosis of neuron cells by tumor cells may play a role in the epileptogenesis of CNS tumor.