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Branimir I. Sikic, M. D.

Publication Details

  • Assessment of purging with multidrug resistance (MDR) modulators and VP-16: results of long-term marrow culture.

    Aihara M, Sikic BI, Blume KG, Chao NJ. Exp Hematol. 1990; 18 (8): 940-4

    We studied the effects of two modulators of multidrug resistance (MDR), cyclosporine and verapamil, on the cytotoxicity of etoposide (VP-16) in normal bone marrow cells. VP-16 was toxic to normal bone marrow at concentrations greater than 50 microM, resulting in no granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GM) in short-term methylcellulose cultures. However, in long-term marrow cultures (LTMC) treatment with VP-16 without the addition of MDR modulators resulted in only a twofold decrease in total cell number at a VP-16 concentration of 50 microM, compared to media alone in the adherent cell layer, and approximately 20% recovery of CFU-GM. The addition of MDR modulators did not result in excessive cytotoxicity, reducing the total CFU-GM by two- to threefold even at the higher VP-16 concentration. Therefore, these modulators in conjunction with VP-16 can be safely used on normal bone marrow cells and may provide an effective method to purge MDR-tumor cells.

    PubMedID: 2387345

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