title: Comparison of two colorimetric assays as cytotoxicity endpoints for an in vitro screen for antitumour agents.
abstract: Two colorimetric assays, MTT and SRB, were compared as cytotoxicity endpoints. They were evaluated against four anti-cancer drugs and seven human tumour cell lines, results were analyzed by ANOVA. Both assays gave a linear response with respect to cell number. The cell lines exhibited differential cytotoxicity to the cancer drugs. Both assays gave similar dose/response curves with the MTT assay giving generally higher IC50 values than the SRB assay. Similar cytotoxicity profiles were obtained for each drug across the cell line panel with the two assays. Whilst both assays are suitable as cytotoxicity endpoints the SRB assay is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Johnson Matthey Technology Centre, Reading, Berkshire, UK.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Fricker
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Buckley
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor / Q000379:methods*; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D012235:Rhodamines; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D012235:Rhodamines; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; C022027:lissamine rhodamine B; D016685:Mitomycin; D004317:Doxorubicin; C022616:thiazolyl blue; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil