title: Microbiologic assay for cytosine arabinoside (NSC-63878): the use of a mutant of streptococcus faecium var. durans resistant to methotrexate (NSC-740) and 6-mercaptopurine (NSC-755).
abstract: Cytosine arabinoside has been shown to be effective in the treatment of acute leukemias and lymphomas, especially in combination with other established anticancer agents such as methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, and 6-thioguanine. A microbiologic assay capable of detecting cytosine arabinoside in the presence of such anticancer agents in body fluids has been developed using a strain of Streptococcus faecium var. durans resistant to methotrexate and 6-mercaptopurine; the assay can also be used to determine cytosine arabinoside concentrations in the presence of l-thioguanine. In view of the present trend toward drug combinations, including those using tetrahydrouridine, in the chemotherapy for human neoplasms, the proposed assay method will be valuable in cytosine arabinoside distribution studies.
mesh_terms: D001681:Biological Assay; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000032:analysis*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D015122:Mercaptopurine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000494:pharmacology; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013866:Thioguanine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D005492:Folic Acid; D015122:Mercaptopurine; D013866:Thioguanine; D008727:Methotrexate