A COMBINED EFFECT OF PSEUDORABIES VIRUS GROWTH-FACTOR VERTICAL-BAR-PRGF-VERTICAL-BAR AND VARIOUS CYTOSTATICS ON TUMOR VERTICAL-BAR-HEP-2-VERTICAL-BAR CELLS IN-VITRO

One of the activities of pseudorabies virus/PRV/growth factor/PRGF/is its ability to change the transformed phenotype of cultured tumour cel ls to the normal one. This activity of PRGF was studied in combination with antiproliferative activity of various cytostatics. An undesirabl e outcome was observed, when PRGF was combined with 11 out of 12 cytos tatics. These cytostatics suppressed the ability of PRGF to change the transformed phenotype of Hep-2 cells, and on the other hand, PRGF dim inished the effect of these cytostatics on growth and metabolism (DNA and protein content, glucose consumption, lactate and ammonia producti on) compared to non-treated control cells. This effect was not observe d when the cells were cultured in the presence of PRGF and methotrexat e (MTX). In this case both suppression of transformed phenotype and in hibition of cell growth were observed. Taking these results into accou nt, PRGF combined with MTX is discussed as a possible method for cance r studies.