Inhibition of B-16 melanoma growth in vitro by prostaglandin D2.

Prostaglandin D2 was found to be a potent inhibitor of B-16 melanoma cell replication in vitro. The inhibition was dose-dependent between 3x10(-9)M and 3x10(-6)M (IC50 approximately 0.3 microM after 6 days). On a molar basis, PGD2 was a better inhibitor than PGA2 or 16, 16-dimethyl-PGE2-methyl ester (di-M-PGE2) and in higher concentrations (10(-6)-10(-7)M), comparable to retinoic acid. In higher concentrations, PGD2 inhibited DNA, RNA and protein synthesis. The B-16 melanoma cell line which we used synthesized arachidonic acid metabolites which comigrated with PGA2, PGD2, PGE2, and PGF2 alpha on a thin layer chromatography system.