Growth suppression of human breast carcinoma cells in culture by N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide and its glucuronide and through synergism with glucarate.

The inhibitory effects of N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide (HPR) and its glucuronide derivative on the growth of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in vitro were compared. The results indicate that the glucuronide had slightly greater potency and much less cytotoxicity than the free retinoid. At a concentration of 10(-6) M, HPR inhibited MCF-7 cell growth by approximately 25%, whereas an equimolar concentration of the glucuronide caused a 40% growth inhibition. Higher concentrations of HPR were highly cytotoxic. At a 10(-5) M concentration of the glucuronide, cell viability was 77%, and 65% of the cells were able to resume growth. On the other hand, at 10(-5) M HPR, cell viability dropped to 49%, and only 15% of the cells were capable of resuming growth. The lower cytotoxicity and higher potency of the retinoid glucuronide compared to the parent retinamide suggest that the conjugate may have a chemotherapeutic advantage over the parent compound. The apparent higher efficacy of HPR in combination with glucarate (GT) compared to the single agents could be due to increased net formation of HPR glucuronide conjugate following conversion of GT to the beta-glucuronidase inhibitor, D-glucaro-1,4-lactone. However, HPLC analysis of the cell metabolites did not show any detectable levels of the retinoid glucuronide upon treatment of MCF-7 cells with HPR and GT.