Inhibition of cytotoxic activity of ascorbate by human cancer patient sera.

Cytotoxic activity of sodium ascorbate against a human glioblastoma T98G cell line was concentration-dependently inhibited by serum in the RPMI1640 medium. The inhibitory effect of sera from pancreatic or stomach cancer patients was significantly higher than that of fetal bovine serum (FBS), with or without heat-inactivation. The cytotoxic activity of sodium ascorbate almost completely disappeared in 60-80% of patient sera. ESR spectroscopy revealed that both patient sera and FBS increased the ascorbyl radical intensity, but to significantly lower extents, as compared with that attained by RPMI1640 medium. The present study suggests the importance of re-evaluating the efficacy of not only ascorbate but also other chemotherapeutic drugs under more physiological conditions.