Chemosensitizing effect of vitamin C in combination with 5-fluorouracil in vitro.
The antiproliferative effect and apoptosis-inducing action of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in combination with vitamin C were tested in vitro against the chemosensitive mouse lymphoma, the chemoresistant HEp-2 and a human lung fibroblast cell line. Vitamin C itself had no antiproliferative effect on the fibroblasts, but increased the anticancer effect of 5-FU dose-dependently. In the case of the chemoresistant cell line, only a high concentration of vitamin C increased the cytotoxicity of 5-FU. A combination of 5-FU and vitamin C exerted a significantly enhanced apoptotic effect on the mouse lymphoma cell line, whereas for the HEp-2 cell line this effect was less marked and was achieved only at a high concentration of vitamin C. These findings suggest that the administration of a high dose of vitamin C in combination with 5-FU chemotherapy enhances the chemoresponsiveness of cancer cells and serves as a potential sensitizer, especially in chemo-resistant cell lines. One of the mechanisms by which vitamin C potentiates cytostatics could be apoptosis induction.
Nagy
Beatrix
B
Department of Oncotherapy, University of Szeged, Koranyi Fasor 12, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary. nbeatrix@freemail.hu
Mucsi
Ilona
I
Molnar
Jozsef
J
Varga
Andreas
A
Thurzo
Laszlo
L
D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple / Q000187:drug effects; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000494:pharmacology; D007940:Leukemia L5178 / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice
D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D005472:Fluorouracil