title: Sensitivity of melphalan-resistant tumors to selenite in vivo.
abstract: Previous studies have demonstrated that melphalan-resistant human ovarian tumor cells exhibit a higher degree of sensitivity to the cytotoxic effects of selenite in vitro than comparable drug-sensitive cells (P.B. Caffrey, G.D. Frenkel, Selenite cytotoxicity in drug resistant and non-resistant human ovarian tumor cells, Cancer Res. 52 (1992) 4812-4816; P.B. Caffrey, G.D. Frenkel, The development of drug resistance by tumor cells in vitro is accompanied by the development of sensitivity to selenite, Cancer Lett. 81 (1994) 59-65). We have now examined the sensitivity of drug-resistant tumors to selenite in vivo. A2780 human ovarian tumor cells, or their melphalan-resistant derivative (A2780ME) cells were injected subcutaneously into nude mice and the resulting tumors were found to be melphalan-sensitive and -resistant, respectively, in vivo. Treatment with selenite (2 mg/kg Se s.c.), which had no overt toxic effect on the animals, resulted in a significant decrease in the rate of growth of the melphalan-resistant tumors, but not on the rate of growth of the drug-sensitive tumors. Thus, melphalan-resistant ovarian tumors are also more sensitive to selenite treatment in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Caffrey
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Frenkel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008558:Melphalan / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018038:Sodium Selenite / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D018038:Sodium Selenite; D008558:Melphalan