Less cytotoxicity to combination therapy of 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin than 5-fluorouracil alone in human colon cancer cell lines

AIM: Our previous studies showed increased sensitivity to 5-FU in colon cancer cell lines with microsatellite instability, and considered that mutations of TGFbeta-R II, IGF II R, RIZ gene might enhance the potentials of cell growth and proliferation, which increased the sensitivity to 5-FU. Here we compared the distribution of cell cycle and P53 status between two human colon cancer cell lines with different sensitivity to 5-FU. Because mechanistic differences exist between 5-FU and CDDP, we also analyzed the efficacy of CDDP and combination therapy on two human colon cancer cell lines. METHODS: We compared the sensitivity to CDDP of these two cell lines by MTT assay. Distribution of cell cycle under treatment of 5-FU, CDDP alone or both was analyzed by Flow Cytometry, and expression of P53 was detected by immunocytochemical staining. RESULTS: SW480 cells were more sensitive to CDDP than LoVo cells at the concentrations above 16 mumol/l (Ratio of absorption is 0.64 and 0.79 at 16 mumol/l, respectively; P<0.01). Efficacy of combination therapy was conversely lower than that of single-therapy of 5-FU (Ratio of absorption in LoVo+5-FU, SW480+5-FU, LoVo+5-FU+CDDP and SW480+5-FU+CDDP is 0.53, 0.54, 0.72, 0.78, respectively; P<0.01). LoVo cells were negative whereas SW480 cells positive in P53 expression. 5-FU induced GI-phase arrest in both cell lines, but LoVo cells peaked 24 hours earlier than SW480 cells, and 48 hours earlier for an apparent hypodiploid DNA. However, CDDP showed the contrary, inducing S-phase arrest, and SW480 cells peaking 36 hours earlier. Both cell lines showed hypodipliod nuclei 48 hours after CDDP treatment. Percentage of cells in G1-phase and S-phase dominated alternatively under combination therapy in both cell lines. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that colon cancer cells with microsatellite instability are more sensitive to 5-FU, whereas more resistant to CDDP. Combination therapy of 5-FU and CDDP shows fewer efficacies than 5-FU single-therapy, although it can render a cell cycle arrest. P53 may be involved in the shift of G1-phase to S-phase, but inessentially.