Ability of four potential topoisomerase II inhibitors to enhance the cytotoxicity of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) in Chinese hamster ovary cells and in an epipodophyllotoxin-resistant subline.

Four drugs known to interact with topoisomerase II were assessed for their ability to enhance the cytotoxicity of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (CDDP) in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines sensitive and resistant to VM-26. The combination treatments were analyzed by isobologram methodology. On 24 h exposure, there was no significant difference in the cytotoxicity of novobiocin or ciprofloxacin toward either cell line. The resistant cells were approximately 9-fold more resistant to 4'-(9-acridinylamino)methanesulfon-m-anisidide (m-AMSA) and approximately 170-fold more resistant to etoposide after a 24-h exposure. The combination of novobiocin and cisplatin produced greater than additive cell kill over the entire dose range of cisplatin tested in both cell lines. m-AMSA and CDDP produced cell kill that fell within the envelope of additivity. Etoposide and CDDP resulted in cytotoxicity that was slightly greater than additive at low CDDP concentrations and additive at the highest concentration of CDDP tested in the parental cell line and was slightly greater than additive in the resistant cell line. Ciprofloxacin and CDDP, like novobiocin, resulted in greater than additive cell kill in both cell lines. The enhancement of CDDP cytotoxicity by novobiocin that was seen in exponentially growing cells was lost in stationary-phase cultures. In these studies, novobiocin and, to a lesser degree, ciprofloxacin produced greater than additive cell kill in combination with CDDP in parental and epipodophyllotoxin-resistant CHO cells.