title: Modification of the effect of tamoxifen, cis-platin, DTIC, and interferon-alpha 2b on human melanoma cells in culture by a mixture of vitamins.
abstract: The effect of a mixture of vitamins in modifying the efficacy of commonly used drugs in the treatment of human melanoma has not been studied. Vitamin C and d-alpha-tocopheryl succinate (alpha-TS) alone reduced the growth of human melanoma (SK-30) cells in culture, whereas beta-carotene (BC), 13-cis-retinoic acid (RA), or sodium selenite alone was ineffective. RA caused morphological changes, as evidenced by flattening of cells and formation of short cytoplasmic processes. A mixture of four vitamins (vitamin C, BC, alpha-TS, and RA) was more effective in reducing growth of human melanoma cells than a mixture of three vitamins. The growth-inhibitory effect of cis-platin, decarbazine, tamoxifen, and recombinant interferon-alpha 2b was enhanced by vitamin C alone, a mixture of three vitamins (BC, alpha-TS, and RA), and a mixture of four vitamins (vitamin C, BC, alpha-TS, and RA) that contained 50 micrograms/ml of vitamin C. These data show that a mixture of three or four vitamins can enhance the growth-inhibitory effect of currently used chemotherapeutic agents on human melanoma cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver 80262.
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Edwards-Prasad
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Borus
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015474:Isotretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024505:Tocopherols; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D014815:Vitamins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019207:beta Carotene
chemical_list: D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014815:Vitamins; D019207:beta Carotene; D013629:Tamoxifen; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D003606:Dacarbazine; D015474:Isotretinoin; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D002945:Cisplatin; D024505:Tocopherols