Increase in cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum (II) cytotoxicity upon reversible electropermeabilization of the plasma membrane in cultured human NHIK 3025 cells.

A series of brief electrical high-voltage discharges were given to cultured NHIK 3025 cells to render the plasma membrane transiently permeable to drugs. Using [14C]sucrose as an inert marker which normally does not cross plasma membranes, increased permeability could be demonstrated for no longer than 10 min following electrical treatment, indicating that the permeabilization was entirely reversible. The reversibility of the treatment was further demonstrated by a lack of effect on cell growth and colony-forming ability. When cells were given electrical discharges immediately before or during exposure to cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II)(cis-DDP) the cytotoxic drug effect increased. By using electrical discharges during a 2 hr drug treatment period the cytotoxicity was enhanced to an extent corresponding to at least a 3-fold increase in drug uptake relative to unpermeabilized cells. This increase in drug uptake was confirmed by direct measurements of the amount of cell-associated Pt by atomic absorbtion spectroscopy. The results suggest that uptake across the plasma membrane may be the rate-limiting factor in the cytotoxic effect of cis-DDP. Furthermore, the methodology applied in the present study may prove useful in assessing the influence of membrane permeability on the effect of other cytotoxic drugs.