Comparison of mitoxantrone and ametantrone in human acute myelocytic leukemia cells in culture and in bone marrow granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells.

The cytocidal effects of mitoxantrone and ametantrone were compared in 3 human acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) cell lines by means of clonogenic as well as cell growth inhibition assay. The effects of these two agents were also compared on normal bone marrow granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells (CFU-GM). Mitoxantrone was 10-20 fold more potent against AML cells than ametantrone. Longer exposure of cells to these agents resulted in increased cell kill, but with lesser efficiency. Both mitoxantrone and ametantrone were more cytocidal on normal bone marrow CFU-GM than on AML cells; mitoxantrone was approximately 2.5-fold and ametantrone nearly 10-fold more active against CFU-GM than against HL-60 AML cells.