Synergistic enhancement of bleomycin cytotoxicity toward tumor cells in culture by a combination of ethanol and moderate hyperthermia.
Bleomycin cytotoxicity toward mouse mammary carcinoma FM3A cells and human carcinoma HeLa S3 cells in culture was greatly potentiated by exposing the cells to a combination of a low concentration of ethanol and moderate hyperthermia. For example, the exposure of FM3A cells to a combination of 4.3% ethanol and 39 degrees, 2.4% ethanol and 41 degrees or 1.5% ethanol and 42 degrees induced a marked sensitization which was almost equivalent to that induced by exposure to 6% ethanol at 37 degrees and was greater than that induced by exposure to 43 degrees hyperthermia alone. However, when the cells were exposed to 3% ethanol at 37 degrees and then treated with bleomycin at 41 degrees, sensitization was hardly induced, indicating a requirement for simultaneous exposure to ethanol and hyperthermia to produce a synergistic increase in bleomycin cytoxicity. A possible application of these findings to cancer treatment with bleomycin is discussed.
D000818:Animals; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004357:Drug Synergism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006367:HeLa Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*
D001761:Bleomycin; D000431:Ethanol