Effects of anti-malarial drugs on MCF-7 and Vero cell replication.
BACKGROUND
Previous in vivo studies performed in our laboratories demonstrated that anti-malarial drugs may or enhance or slow down Ehrlich's ascites tumour progression in infected mice. In the light of these observations, an in vitro study was undertaken to assess the response of human tumour cells to various anti-malarial drugs and consequently the safety of the anti-malarial therapy.


METHODS
MCF-7 cells and Vero cells (control line) were cultured in Eagle's minimum Essential medium (EMEM) and then subjected to graded concentrations of different anti-malarial drugs. Trypan-blue exclusion, MTT and Western blotting tests were performed.


RESULTS
The findings showed that pyrimethamine (12.5 mg/L), chloroquine (12.5 mg/L) and primaquine (1.56 mg/L) stimulated MCF-7 cell growth. The proliferative effect was inhibited by doxorubicin only in cultures treated with chloroquine and primaquine. These results might indicate that some anti-malarial drugs have a worrying tumour-promoting effect which should not be underestimated when undertaking anti-malarial prophylactic measures.
Rossi
Tiziana
T
Department of Biomedical Sciences, section of Pharmacology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy. rossi.tiziana@unimore.it
Coppi
Andrea
A
Bruni
Elisa
E
Ruberto
Antonio
A
Santachiara
Saverio
S
Baggio
Giosué
G
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D011796:Quinacrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D014709:Vero Cells
D000962:Antimalarials; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004317:Doxorubicin; D011796:Quinacrine