title: Anti-proliferative activity of interferon-alpha on human squamous carcinoma of tongue cell lines.
abstract: We evaluated the anti-tumour activity of human recombinant interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) on two human squamous carcinoma of tongue cell lines (T2/CUHK and PWH-S1). The in vitro cytotoxicity was monitored by MTT assay. Continuous exposure to IFN-alpha alone at 500 IU/ml for 48 h produced inhibitory growth of 30% and 7% on T2/CUHK and PWH-S1 cell lines respectively. The ID50 of T2/CUHK cells was approximately 2500 IU/ml. PWH-S1 cells were resistant to treatment with interferon-alpha as 500 IU/ml IFN-alpha gave only 10% growth inhibition on PWH-S1 cells. IFN-alpha increased the anti-neoplastic activity of cisplatin and 5-FU against T2/CUHK cells, but the effect was less evident in PWH-S1 cells. Our findings support the further evaluation of IFN-alpha as a potent anti-proliferative cytokine therapy that may act synergistically with conventional chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of squamous carcinoma of head and neck.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, N.T.
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000494:pharmacology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; C022616:thiazolyl blue; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil