Inhibitory effects of tamoxifen and tumor necrosis factor alpha on human glioblastoma cells.

We reported previously that tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) inhibited proliferation and invasiveness of human malignant glial cells. Because tamoxifen, an estrogen antagonist, has also been shown to inhibit growth of such cells, we hypothesized that a combination of tamoxifen and TNF alpha might be more effective than either reagent alone. TNF alpha (1-100 ng/ml) or tamoxifen (80 ng/ml-2 micrograms/ml) alone inhibited proliferation of a human glioblastoma cell line (WITG3) in a dose-dependent fashion; in combination, tamoxifen and TNF alpha yielded additive growth inhibition. Apoptotic cells characterized by nuclear fragmentation were detectable after 48 h of TNF alpha or tamoxifen exposure and were significantly increased by combination treatment. In non-neoplastic human astroglia and fibroblasts, proliferation was unaffected by tamoxifen, and enhanced by TNF alpha as previously reported. Staurosporine (2-50 nM), which has been reported to augment the effects of TNF alpha, was less effective than tamoxifen against WITG3 and, in addition, was markedly inhibitory to non-neoplastic glial cells. Binding studies yielded no evidence of WITG3 estrogen or progesterone receptors, nor of tamoxifen effects on TNF alpha receptors. Data suggest that TNF alpha and tamoxifen in combination display growth-regulatory properties, which (a) are more inhibitory to human glioblastoma cells than either agent alone, (b) do not affect non-neoplastic glia, (c) do not require either estrogen/progesterone receptors or alteration of external TNF alpha receptors, and (d) may involve apoptosis.