Doxorubicin effects on leukemia and breast cancer cells in culture on the TK1 protein levels using AroCell TK 210 ELISA: a tool for drug development.

In this study changes in thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) levels after 24 hours of Doxorubicin (Dox) exposure of CEM and MDA MB-231 cells were determined using the commercially available AroCell TK 210 ELISA test. In cell extracts, TK1 levels increased twofold with 1 µM Dox in both cell lines, while the TK1 levels in the culture media increased with 5 and 10 µM of Dox only in case of CEM cells. In conclusion, this study reveals that the TK 210 ELISA can measure changes in intra- and extracellular TK1 levels apparently related to the mechanism of cytotoxicity of anti-cancer agents.