AS-101 - A MODULATOR OF IN-VITRO T-CELL PROLIFERATION

AS-101 is a tellurate compound originally designed as a drug with cyto static activity. Nevertheless, in vivo it was found to be an immunomod ulator agent due to a stimulation of cytokine production. Mitotic inde x (MI) as an indicator of cytotoxicity and cell proliferation kinetics (CPK) in lymphocytes cultures are parameters used in the evaluation o f the antineoplastic activity of drugs, such as mitomycin-C and cispla tin. For this reason, we evaluated the effects of AS-101 upon these tw o parameters. The results show that AS-101 produces an inhibition of M I in proliferating lymphocytes higher than the inhibition mediated by cisplatin. When CPK was evaluated, AS-101 induced a retardation not re lated with dose, while cisplatin produced a stepwise inhibition. This effect contrasts with the stimulation observed when AS-101 was added t o non-proliferating lymphocytes which was measured as an increased [H- 3]thymidine incorporation in culture. The results confirm the mode of action of AS-101 as a real modulating agent of cell proliferation.