O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase activity and sensitivity to cyclophosphamide and cisplatin in human lung tumor xenografts.
The DNA repair protein O6-methylguanine-DNA methyl-transferase (MGMT) is a main determinant of resistance of cells to the cytostatic effects of O6-alkylguanine-generating alkylating agents. The purpose of our study was to assay MGMT activity in cells of lung cancers and to correlate MGMT levels with chemotherapy response to cyclophosphamide (CTX) and cisplatin (DDP). MGMT levels were determined in 14 human lung tumor xenografts. There was a wide variation of MGMT expression in these tumors, ranging from 10 to 984 fmol/mg protein. There was also a wide range in the sensitivity of the xenografts to CTX and DDP, as measured by specific growth delay. When the MGMT levels of the different xenograft lines were compared with the corresponding responses to CTX and DDP, a close correlation was found between MGMT activity and CTX (lin reg., r = -0.83, p < 0.05). The higher the MGMT activity, the less pronounced was the growth-inhibiting effect of CTX. With DDP, no such correlation was found. Our results indicate that the in vivo response of tumors to CTX is related to the level of MGMT expression.
Department of Oncological Diagnostics and Therapy, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg. j.mattern@dkfz-heidelberg.de
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Mattern
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Eichhorn
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Kaina
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Volm
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D019853:O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase / Q000187:drug effects*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D019853:O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase; D002945:Cisplatin