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In vitro activity of bortezomib in cultures of patient tumour cells—potential utility in haematological malignancies

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Abstract

Bortezomib represents a new class of anti-cancer drugs, the proteasome inhibitors. We evaluated the in vitro activity of bortezomib with regard to tumour-type specificity and possible mechanisms of drug resistance in 115 samples of tumour cells from patients and in a cell-line panel, using the short-term fluorometric microculture cytotoxicity assay. Bortezomib generally showed dose–response curves with a steep slope. In patient cells, bortezomib was more active in haematological than in solid tumour samples. Myeloma and chronic myeloid leukaemia were the most sensitive tumour types although with great variability in drug response between the individual samples. Colorectal and kidney cancer samples were the least sensitive. In the cell-line panel, only small differences in response were seen between the different cell lines, and the proteasome inhibitors, lactacystin and MG 262, showed an activity pattern similar to that of bortezomib. The cell-line data suggest that resistance to bortezomib was not mediated by MRP-, PgP, GSH-; tubulin and topo II-associated MDR. Combination experiments indicated synergy between bortezomib and arsenic trioxide or irinotecan. The data support the current use of bortezomib but also points to its potential utility in other tumour types and in combination with cytotoxic drugs.

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Acknowledgments

The help from Lena Lenhammar, Sara Nissle, Linda Rickardsson and Dr Helena Jernberg-Wiklund is gratefully acknowledged. This work was supported by grants from the Swedish Cancer Society and the Swedish Research Council.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University Hospital, entr 61, 4th floor, SE-751 85, Uppsala, Sweden

    Kristina Wiberg, Rolf Larsson & Elin Lindhagen

  2. Division of Haematology, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden

    Kristina Carlson & Anna Åleskog

  3. Department of Oncology, Radiology and Clinical Immunology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden

    Peter Nygren

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  1. Kristina Wiberg
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  2. Kristina Carlson
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Correspondence to Elin Lindhagen.

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Wiberg, K., Carlson, K., Åleskog, A. et al. In vitro activity of bortezomib in cultures of patient tumour cells—potential utility in haematological malignancies. Med Oncol 26, 193–201 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-008-9107-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-008-9107-6

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