Sensitivity of cultured human pancreatic carcinoma cells to dihydroxyanthracenedione

We tested the effectiveness of dihydroxyanthracenedione (DHAD) on cell growth of two human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines MlA PaCa‐2 and PANC‐1. At the level of ID₅₀, the drug was almost equally effective against both cell lines. When the time exposure of MIA PaCa‐2 cells to the drug was increased from 1 h to continuous exposure for 5 days, the ID₅₀ was decreased about three‐fold only (1.4 × 10⁻⁸ M and 4 × 10⁻⁹ M respectively). At the level of ID₅₀ also the difference between 6 h exposure and continuous exposure for 5 days was minimal. In equimolar concentrations and with 1 h exposure, DHAD was more effective against MIA PaCa‐2 cells than other chemotherapeutic agents including adriamycin, mitomycin‐C, 5‐FU, vincristine, vindesine, vinblastine, VP‐16–213, bleomycin, cis‐platinum, asparaginase and acivicin. In concentrations of 5 × 10⁻⁷ M, DHAD caused about 40% inhibition of ¹⁴C‐thymidine incorporation of MIA PaCa‐2 cells. Treatment of MIA PaCa‐2 cells with the ID₅₀ of DHAD for 1 h caused retardation of cellular traverse, with the major effect appearing to be in G₂+M phase of the cycle. From these data DHAD appears to be a potent drug against human pancreatic carcinoma in vitro.