Growth Suppression of Leukemic Cells by Hyperbaric Nitrous Oxide and Methotrexate. |
Won Sik Ahn, Ji Yeon Kim, Jae Hyon Bahk, Chong Doo Park, Seong Deok Kim |
1Department of Anesthesiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 2Seoul Plastic Surgery Clinic, Seoul, Korea. kjy1448@korea.com |
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Abstract |
BACKGROUND Nitrous oxide inactivates cobalamin which is important in the folate-dependent synthesis of thymidylate.
Also, methotrexate has the anti-cancer activity. The aim of this work was to determine the optimal pressure and exposure time of nitrous oxide that maximize the suppression of cancer growth, and the adequate level of methotrexate that maximize the anti-cancer activity of nitrous oxide. METHODS Acute lymphoblastic leukemic cells and normal lymphocytes were cultured in hyperbaric chamber at 1, 2 and 3 atm of 74% nitrous oxide in 24, 48 and 72 hours at 0, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 micrometer of methotrexate, respectively. The results were expressed in the ratio of cell number in hyperbaric chamber to that in the incubator. RESULTS Compared to control, the growth rates of cancer cells and lymphocytes were 0.767, 0.990 at 1 atm, 0.592, 0.880 at 2 atm and 0.718, 0.864 at 3 atm of nitrous oxide in 24 hours. The survival fraction of cancer cells and lymphocytes were 0.767, 0.894 in 24 hours, 0.800, 0.630 in 48 hours, and 0.571, 0.597 in 72 hours, at 1 atm of nitrous oxide. The growth rates of cancer cells and lymphocytes were 1.012, 0.745 at 0 micrometer, 0.912, 0.696 at 0.3 micrometer, 0.77, 0.647 at 0.5 micrometer and 1.133, 0.506 at 0.7 micrometer of methotrexate. CONCLUSIONS The pressure increase of nitrous oxide significantly suppressed the growth of lymphocyte but not cancer cells. However, growth of cancer cells and lymphocytes were significantly reduced at high concentration of methotrexate and larger exposure time. |
Key Words:
cobalamin; leukemia; methotrexate; nitrous oxide |
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