P2X7 receptor activation, chromatin condensation and caspase-3 activity in SH-SY5Y cells exposed to oxaliplatin.

<p>Cells were exposed 24 h to oxaliplatin (OXA) (2–200 µM). P2X7 receptor activation (A) was evaluated using YOPRO-1 test. The resulting fluorescence was viewed with a microscope (B). Chromatin condensation (C) was evaluated using Hoechst 33342 test. Caspase-3 proteolytic activity (D) in lysates of cells was evaluated using the apoTarget^TM Caspase-3 Protease assay. In these tests, cells were exposed or not to a 30-min pre-treatment with the specific P2X7 receptor antagonist Brilliant Blue G (BBG; 10 µM) prior to OXA for an additional 24 h. Values are the mean ± S.E.M. expressed as percentage of the control, five different assays per group. *: statistically different (p<0.05) from the mean values in control cells.