Mesna inactivates platinum agents in vitro.
BACKGROUND
Platinum agents are frequently combined with ifosfamide. Mesna, originally coadministered to protect from ifosfamide side effects, might also react with the platinum agents in these combinations.


METHODS
Malignant glioma cells were incubated with cisplatin, carboplatin and mesna. Cell numbers were measured by counting and by MTT-tests.


RESULTS
In cell free solution mesna turned MTT to its blue farmazan product. Mesna's effect on cells were cell-line specific: It penetrated U87 cells without effect on growth, reduced cell numbers in C6 and T98G cells and did not alter U251 cells. The concentration of cisplatin killing 50% of the cells were 7 x 10(-7) in C6, 9.7 x 10(-6) in T98G, 1.2 x 10(-5) in U251 and 2.4 x 10(-4) in U87 cells. For the same effect, carboplatin required 3-10 times higher concentrations. Mesna protected all cell lines from the cytotoxicity of the platinum agents.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical studies should specify in detail, infusion schedules of mesna and platinum agents.
Wolff
J E
JE
Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Canada. johannes.wolff@crha-health.ab.ca
Egeler
R M
RM
Anderson
R
R
Ujack
E
E
Iceton
S
S
Coppes
M J
MJ
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D005910:Glioma; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D015080:Mesna / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D020011:Protective Agents; D016190:Carboplatin; D015080:Mesna; D002945:Cisplatin