Antiproliferative and synergistic effect of interferon alpha-2a, retinoids and their association in established human cancer cell lines.
The effect of 13-cis-retinoic acid (cRA) and all-trans-retinoic acid (tRA) used alone or in combination with interferon alpha-2a (alpha-IFN 2a) was tested on three established human cell lines: KB (epidermoid carcinoma of the oral cavity), SCC-25 (tongue squamous cell carcinoma) and MCF-7 (mammary carcinoma). Both retinoids significantly decreased cell proliferation (growth curves) and colony forming efficiency (CFE) in all cell lines, in a dose-dependent way (at a concentration ranging from 10(-5) to 10(-9) M) and differing from line to line, following the pattern: MCF-7 > SCC-25 > KB. Retinoids at any concentration (already at 10(-7) M) combined with alpha-IFN 2a (ranging from 100 to 500 IU/ml) were more effective in inhibiting cell proliferation than each of the two compounds alone. This was particularly evident with SCC-25 cells. Concerning MCF-7 cells, on the contrary, the effects produced by the association suggested a possible additive more than synergistic amplification of growth inhibition.
Toma
S
S
National Institute for Cancer Research-IST, Genoa, Italy.
Monteghirfo
S
S
Tasso
P
P
Nicolò
G
G
Spadini
N
N
Palumbo
R
R
Molina
F
F
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D004357:Drug Synergism; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015474:Isotretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D016898:Interferon-alpha; D014212:Tretinoin; D015474:Isotretinoin