Hypersensitivity of human testis-tumour cell lines to chemotherapeutic drugs.
Metastatic testis tumours, in contrast to most other types of cancer, can be cured by drugs. To investigate which classes of chemotherapeutic drug are differentially toxic to testis-tumour cells, we compared the in vitro dose-response curves of 5 human testis and 5 bladder-cancer cell lines to 12 compounds. The testis cells were hypersensitive to drugs that interact directly with DNA (m-amsa, bleomycin, cisplatin, doxorubicin, methylnitrosourea, mitozolomide, etoposide, mitomycin-C), but little or no difference between the 2 cell types was seen following exposure to drugs whose mechanisms of action do not involve direct interaction with DNA (methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, colchicine, vinblastine). We conclude that testis tumour cells are either less tolerant of, or have a reduced capacity to repair, DNA damage.
Masters
J R
JR
Institute of Urology and Nephrology, University College London, UK.
Osborne
E J
EJ
Walker
M C
MC
Parris
C N
CN
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; C022616:thiazolyl blue