Tumour cell uptake G(2)-M accumulation and cytotoxicity of NAMI-A on TS/A adenocarcinoma cells

The ruthenium(III) complex imidazolium transimidazoledimethylsulfoxide-tetr achlororuthenate (NAMI-A) was tested on TS/A adenocarcinoma cells to evalua te the relationship between cell uptake, cell cycle arrest and cytotoxicity . The in vitro challenge of TS/A cells with 10(-4) M NAMI-A for 15 minutes to 4 hours showed a partial reduction of cell growth only after 4 hour expo sure. In the same experimental conditions NAMI-A caused the increase of cel ls in G(2)-M cell cycle phase directly proportional on the length of treatm ent, and the ruthenium uptake by tumour cells, measured by flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy, that increases up to 2 hours of treatment and the n reaches a plateau. The arrest of cell cycle in the pre-mitotic G(2)-M pha se was transient and completely reversed by 48 hours after treatment. This study showed that the effect of NAMI-A on the cell cycle of TS/A cells is n ot strictly related to NAMI-A uptake as is the effect on tumour cell prolif eration.