Effect of recombinant human erythropoietin on the growth of human tumor cell lines in vitro. Micro-titertec-tetrazolium assay.

Cells derived from 9 human tumors were tested in vitro using 5 doses ranging from 1 to 5000 units of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEpo) per ml to assess a proliferation response to this hormone. The following tumors were used: 2 melanomas, 1 hepatoma, 3 renal cell carcinomas, 1 adenocarcinoma of the lung, and 2 mammary carcinomas (with and without sex steroid hormone receptors). Compared to untreated cells, none of the cell lines exposed to rhEpo revealed differences in proliferation extending beyond the limits of methodological fluctuation. rhEpo thus does not have any effect on the growth of human tumors in vitro under the experimental conditions applied.