In the present study, the expression of anti-apoptotic (XIAP and Bcl-2) and apoptotic (cytochrome C, caspase 9, APAF-1), caspase 3 and the Smac/DIABLO genes related to the apoptosis pathway were evaluated in 30 samples of glioblastoma.
In GBM8401 cells treated with amiloride with IR post-treatment, the ratio of prosurvival (-XL,-LC) to proapoptotic (-LN,-S) splice variants of APAF1 was lower than that seen in cells treated with amiloride with IR pretreatment, suggesting that proapoptotic splice variants of APAF1 (APAF1-LN,-S) were higher in the glioblastoma cells treated with amiloride with IR post-treatment, as compared to glioblastoma cells and fibroblast control cells that had received other treatments.