Open AccessEffects of adrenal cortical steroids and osmotic blood-brain barrier opening on methotrexate delivery to gliomas in the rodent: the factor of the blood-brain barrier.
Author(s) -
Edward A. Neuwelt,
Peggy A. Barnett,
Darrell D. Bigner,
Eugene P. Frenkel
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.79.14.4420
Subject(s) - blood–brain barrier , methotrexate , glioma , brain tumor , drug delivery , medicine , pharmacology , chemotherapy , endocrinology , central nervous system , pathology , cancer research , chemistry , organic chemistry
The effect of adrenal cortical steroids and osmotic blood-brain barrier modification on methotrexate delivery to normal and glioma-bearing rats was studied. In animals with the avian sarcoma virus-induced glioma, osmotic blood-brain barrier modification resulted in significantly increased delivery of methotrexate to the tumor-bearing hemisphere (including the tumor, the brain around the tumor, and the brain distant to the tumor), compared to the nonmodified hemisphere or to control animals. The administration of adrenal steroids, followed by intracarotid methotrexate, resulted in slightly decreased chemotherapeutic agent (methotrexate) delivery to the tumor, the brain around the tumor, and the brain distant to the tumor. When adrenal steroids were given prior to barrier modification and methotrexate therapy, the level of methotrexate was significantly less in the tumor. These studies provide evidence that the blood-brain barrier exists in tumors and is a factor in drug delivery to tumors. Steroid administration greatly interferes with the enhancement of drug delivery to tumors that can be achieved with osmotic blood-brain barrier modification.