Tumor growth effects of rapamycin on human biliary tract cancer cells.
BACKGROUND
Liver transplantation is an important treatment option for patients with liver-originated tumors including biliary tract carcinomas (BTCs). Post-transplant tumor recurrence remains a limiting factor for long-term survival. The mammalian target of rapamycin-targeting immunosuppressive drug rapamycin could be helpful in lowering BTC recurrence rates. Therein, we investigated the antiproliferative effect of rapamycin on BTC cells and compared it with standard immunosuppressants.


METHODS
We investigated two human BTC cell lines. We performed cell cycle and proliferation analyses after treatment with different doses of rapamycin and the standard immunosuppressants, cyclosporine A and tacrolimus.


RESULTS
Rapamycin inhibited the growth of two BTC cell lines in vitro. By contrast, an increase in cell growth was observed among the cells treated with the standard immunosuppressants.


CONCLUSIONS
These results support the hypothesis that rapamycin inhibits BTC cell proliferation and thus might be the preferred immunosuppressant for patients after a liver transplantation because of BTC.
Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany. matthias.heuer@uk-essen.de
Matthias
M
Heuer
Nici M
NM
Dreger
Vito R
VR
Cicinnati
Christian
C
Fingas
Benjamin
B
Juntermanns
Andreas
A
Paul
Gernot M
GM
Kaiser
D001661:Biliary Tract Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000494:pharmacology
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D020123:Sirolimus; D016559:Tacrolimus