title: Effect of calcium influx blocker verapamil on adriamycin-induced cytotoxicity in leukemia cells in vitro.
abstract: The effect of verapamil (calcium influx blocker) on adriamycin-induced cytotoxicity against sensitive and resistant subline of K 562 acute myelogenous human leukemia cells has been evaluated. Verapamil by itself at a concentration of 0.5 microgram/ml did not affect the cell growth. It was found that the nontoxic concentration of verapamil moderately enhanced adriamycin cytotoxicity against K 562 cells, showing enhancement ratio of 1.3-1.4 according to the schedule used. A significant enhancement of adriamycin cytotoxicity (enhancement ratio of 5.8) was observed when verapamil and adriamycin were administered simultaneously against resistant subline of K 562/ADM cells. The results obtained give grounds to assume that verapamil could be used to overcome drug resistance in tumor cells.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Medical Academy, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mircheva
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuruo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D004317:Doxorubicin; D014700:Verapamil