Adenosine 5'-triphosphate-sensitive potassium channel activator induces the up-regulation of caveolin-1 expression in a rat brain tumor model.

This study was performed to determine whether minoxidil sulfate (MS), a selective Adenosine 5'-triphosphate-sensitive potassium channel (K (ATP) channel) activator, has an effect on the expression of caveolin-1 in the rat's brain tumor tissue. Using a rat brain glioma (C6) model, we found that the expression of caveolin-1 protein at tumor sites was greatly increased after intracarotid infusion of MS at a dose of 30 μg/kg/min for 15, 30, and 60 min via Western blot analysis. And the peak value of the caveolin-1 expression was observed in rats with glioma after 15 min of MS perfusion, which was significantly attenuated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger (N-2-mercaptopropionyl glycine, MPG). In addition, MPG also significantly inhibited the increase of blood-brain tumor barrier (BTB) permeability which was induced by MS. This led to the conclusion that the MS-induced BTB permeability increase may be related to the accelerated formation of caveolin-1 protein, and could be mediated by ROS.