SIMULTANEOUS ASSESSMENT OF MIGRATION AND PROLIFERATION OF MURINE FIBREOSARCOMA CELLS, AS AFFECTED BY HYDROXYUREA, VINBLASTINE, CYTOCHALASIN-B, RAZOXANE AND INTERFERON

Using porous cell culture chambers, we have simultaneously assessed gr owth and locomotion of cancer cells to investigate whether certain age nts affect cell motility in addition to cell division. First, cells fr om a murine fibrosarcoma cell line, 1.0/L1, were grown in ordinary fla sk cultures to determine appropriate cell inocula. Doses of agents wer e selected to reduce the final 4 day culture cellularity to about 50%, when present during the last two days of culturing. Secondly, the eff ects of these agents on cell numbers in the porous chambers and on cel l migration out of the chambers ('emigration fraction') were recorded. We also examined, using a similar type of porous chamber, whether the agents could affect leucocyte chemotaxis. Hydroxyurea (an inhibitor o f DNA synthesis) reduced cancer cell emigration as well as cell growth , without interfering with leucocyte chemotaxis. Cytochalasin B (a mic rofilament disrupting agent) inhibited cancer cell motility and growth , as well as leucocyte chemotaxis. Vinblastine (a microtubule disrupti ng agent), at the very low dose chosen, reduced cancer cell growth, bu t did not consistently affect the migration of either cell type. The e xperimental anti-metastasis agent Razoxane reduced growth, but had no detectable effects on motility. High doses of natural murine interfero n-alpha/beta weakly inhibited both cancer cell growth and locomotion. This motivates for further studies of these and other cytokines, as tr eatment with agents inhibiting cancer cell locomotion might possibly p revent peri-operative spread of cancer in patients.