Reduced hypoxic chemosensitivity in partially paralysed man. A new property of muscle relaxants?

Background: It was hypothesized that non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents impair hypoxic chemosensitivity in man.
Methods: In thirty randomly allocated male volunteers the hypoxic and hypercarbic ventilatory responses were measured during partial paralysis (TOF ratio 0.70) due to either atracurium (n=10), pancuronium (n=10) or vecuronium (n=10).
Results: Hypoxic ventilatory responses were depressed by 306, 287 and 296% (mean SD) at steady-state infusion of atracurium, pancuronium and vecuronium, respectively. At a TOF ratio of >0.90, the HVR was not different from control measurements.
Conclusion: It is concluded that non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents impair hypoxic ventilatory regulation. Further experimental studies are warranted to fully describe the mechanism(s) responsible for this interaction.     

Increased drug resistance of cultured human cancer cell lines in three-dimensional cellular growth assay using collagen gel matrix.

We have conducted a three-dimensional cellular growth assay using collagen gel matrix with an endpoint of the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, on four human gastric and colonic cancer cell lines. Three-dimensionally growing cells in collagen gel matrix were 2- to 180-fold more resistant to mitomycin C, doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, and cisplatin than those in monolayer culture, and these resistances were increased further when the cells increased their three-dimensionality. Furthermore, the influence of fibroblasts in the collagen gel matrix on the chemosensitivity of cancer cells was less than that in monolayer culture. Since this new assay using collagen gel matrix with an endpoint of the MTT assay was able to detect the increase of drug resistance of human cancer cell lines by three-dimensional cellular growth using a simple and convenient procedure, it was considered to be more useful than conventional monolayer cultures for evaluating the chemosensitivity of cancer cells.     

Establishment,characterization and chemosensitivity of two human glioma derived cell lines

Summary Two continuous human glioma derived cell lines, LI and DF, were established in our laboratory. Both cell lines showed cytological features andin vitro behavior similar to those of the respective original neoplasms. These two lines were characterized for their main biological properties includingin vitro andin vivo growth rate, clonogenic ability and tumorigenicity in nude mice. The plating efficiencies were generally high both during exponential and stationary growth phases and a high tumorigenicity was observed. All injected nude mice developed tumors. The two lines were tested for chemosensitivity to 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-1nitrosourea (BCNU) and cis-Diamminedichloroplatinum II (DDP). Heterogeneity in biological features and in drug sensitivity was observed. Exposure of the two lines to BCNU and DDP showed that the glioblastoma (LI) was less sensitive than the anaplastic astrocytoma (DF). For both lines BCNU was more effective on cells in plateau than in exponential phase, while the killing effect of DDP was not phase-dependent.     

Establishment and characterization of a human urinary bladder carcinoma cell line (TSGH-8301)

A cell line derived from a well-differentiated human transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder, designated TSGH-8301, was established in vitro. The cultured epithelioid cells exhibited monolayer growth and loss of contact inhibition. The tumorigenicity of TSGH-8301 had been shown by growth in soft agar and tumor induction in athymic nude mice. A reverse ratio of lactate dehydrogenase (LHD) isoenzyme in the cell line and nude mouse-grown tumors was seen predominantly with LDH-V. Chromosomal analysis revealed a heterodiploid stem line with a modal number of 50. Sera of urinary bladder cancer patients reacted with membrane antigens of the TSGH-8301 cells, suggesting the existence of tumor-associated antigens in the cells. In vitro chemosensitivity tests of these cells may provide data valuable in the selection of proper anticancer drugs for the TSGH-8301 donor patient.     

Prediction of anticancer drug potency from expression of genes involved in growth factor signaling

Purpose This study develops and evaluates a systematic approach to finding biomarker genes for predicting potency of anticancer drugs against tumor cells, focusing on gene families related to growth factor signaling. Methods Cytotoxic potencies of 119 drugs against 60 neoplastic cell lines (NCI-60) were correlated with expression of 343 genes, including 90 growth factors and receptors, 63 metalloproteinases, and 92 ras-like GTPases as downstream signaling factors. Progressively more stringent criteria and predictive models aim at identifying the smallest subset of genes predictive of cytotoxic potency. Results Comparing gene expression with drug potency across the NCI-60 yielded genes with negative and positive correlations (p < 0.001), indicative of a role in chemoresistance and chemosensitivity, respectively. Of 17 genes with multiple negative correlations, 8 are known chemoresistance factors, validating the approach. Negatively correlated genes clustered into two main groups with distinct expression profiles and drug correlations, represented by EGFR and ERBB2 (Her-2/Neu). Accordingly, no synergism was observed between EGFR and ERBB2 inhibitors. However, combinations with classical anticacer drugs were not correlated with EGFR and ERBB2 expression in four cell lines tested, suggesting complex interactions in combination treatments. Finally, a subset of only 13 genes was found to be sufficient for near optimal prediction of drug potency against the NCI-60. Conclusions Our approach using a small subset of genes reveals known and potential biomarkers in cancer chemotherapy, providing a strategy for genome-wide analysis. Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material to this paper is available in electronic form at     

小儿恶性肿瘤四氮唑盐法药敏试验的建立

①目的筛选对个体恶性肿瘤病儿敏感的化疗药物,并探讨其最适条件。②方法用四氮唑盐(MTT)法药敏试验对5例恶性肿瘤病儿进行药物筛选。③结果每孔细胞数在5X10~4~5X10~5,培养48~72h,MTT浓度为2.0~2.5g/l时比较适宜。从不同化疗药物对肿瘤细胞的杀伤作用可以看出,不同药物对同一肿瘤细胞的杀伤作用有很大不同,同一药物对同一类型的不同个体肿瘤的杀伤作用也不相同。④结论MTT法药敏试验操作简单、快速,易于推广,可广泛应用于临床,以提高疗效,避免不必要的化疗副作用。     

In vitro determination of tumour chemosensitivity in haematological malignancies

A four-day tumour chemosensitivity assay of potential use in predicting tumour response to cytotoxic drugs has been developed for haematological cancers. The method comprised isolation of white cells from peripheral blood or bone marrow aspirates, drug exposure and incubation for 4 days. Drug-induced tumour cell kill was assessed by differential staining of live and dead cells such that the former could be morphologically identified. Tumour cell viability was subsequently calculated by reference to an internal standard of fixed duck red blood cells. Over 30 drugs have been tested in vitro, all of which have shown a dose response relationship in vitro and given a good scatter of sensitivities from patient to patient within the concentration ranges tested. In 27 cases where the in vitro chemosensitivity could be compared with the in vivo response, there were 7 true positive comparisons (sensitive in vitro and in vivo), 17 true negative comparisons (resistant both in vitro and in vivo) and 3 false positive comparisons (sensitive in vitro, resistant in vivo). A result was obtained in 38 of 50 samples received, comprising 16 of 18 chronic lymphocytic leukaemias, 11 of 20 acute lymphoblastic leukaemias, 5 of 5 acute myeloid leukaemias and 6 of 7 myelomas. The assay appears to show considerable promise as a tumour chemosensitivity test and warrants wider investigations.     

ATP抗肿瘤药物敏感性检测技术与卵巢癌临床治疗的相关性研究

目的 采用三磷酸腺苷生物荧光法(ATP-TCA)对卵巢癌组织标本进行体外药敏试验,并分析其与临床疗效的相关性。方法 取卵巢癌患者术后新鲜组织和腹水标本共34例,应用ATP-TCA技术对9种10组化疗药物进行体外药敏试验。结果 ATP-TCA技术的可评价率为94．0％,敏感性为90．0％,特异性为91．7％,阳性预测值为94．7％,阴性预测值为84．6％．整体预测值为90．6％。药物体外药敏检测结果与临床资料相符率较高。结论 ATP-TCA体外药敏检测结果与临床治疗反应有很好的相关性,是开展肿瘤个体化化疗的一种重要的体外药物筛选方法。     

ATP生物荧光肿瘤体外药敏检测技术在治疗非小细胞肺癌胸水中的临床应用

目的：研究三磷酸腺苷-生物荧光肿瘤体外药敏检测技术(ATP-TCA)在非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)化疗中的应用,为临床治疗方案的选择提供依据。方法：选择52例伴有胸水的NSCLC患者,根据患者及家属治疗意愿分为经验治疗组和药敏治疗组。经验治疗组20例患者根据经验给予(紫杉醇联合卡铂,PTX+CBP)标准方案全身化疗;药敏治疗组32例患者对胸水标本分别进行顺铂(DDP) 、诺维本(NVB) 、紫杉醇(PTX) 、卡铂(CBP) 、健择(GEM)、PTX+CBP、NVB+CBP、GEM + DDP体外药敏检测,根据体外药敏检测结果选用化疗方案,比较2组患者治疗有效率。结果:体外药敏试验,单一用药中NVB和PTX对 NSCLC的体外敏感率最高,均为28.1 % ;GEM的体外敏感率次之,为25%;CBP的体外敏感率为21.9%;DDP的体外敏感率最低,为17.6%。联合用药方案显示较好的治疗效果,其中GEM + DDP 的体外敏感率最高,达55.9%;PTX+CBP的体外敏感率次之,达50%; NVB+CBP的体外敏感率最低,为40.6%。药敏治疗组患者有效率为65.6%,经验治疗组有效率为40.0%,两组有效率比较差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。结论：不同化疗药物对NSCLC的体外敏感率不同;根据药敏试验结果选择化疗方案可取得更
好的临床治疗效果。     

一种AP-2α选择性剪切的发现及其在MCF-7细胞中的功能研究

目的研究AP-2α的一种选择性剪切及其对MCF-7细胞生物学功能的影响。方法构建AP-2α基因表达质粒,得到pAP-2α和一个C-端编码产物完全不同于AP-2α的选择性剪切pAP-2αas表达质粒。通过荧光素酶法检测pAP-2αas和pAP-2α对含存活素(survivin)启动子核心序列的荧光素酶报告质粒pLuc-441活性影响的差异;并通过药物敏感性实验观察pAP-2αas和pAP-2α对乳腺癌细胞MCF-7药物敏感性影响的差异。结果采用荧光素酶法检测共转染pAP-2αas和pLuc-441的MCF-7细胞中survivin启动子活性,与对照pAP-2α相比,pAP-2αas也能抑制pLuc-441活性,但抑制的强度低于前者;药物敏感性实验显示,在MCF-7细胞中,转染pAP-2αas显著提高了药物敏感性,与pAP-2α产生的生物学功能近似。结论 AP-2αas作为一种体内的特异性剪切形式,具有和通常AP-2α相似但不完全相同的功能,推测这是基因表达调控的特殊方式,AP-2α对基因表达的调节在某些情况下可以不通过直接结合启动子发挥作用。