SELECTIVE INHIBITION OF IN VITRO CELL GROWTH BY THE ANTI-TUMOUR DRUG UKRAIN

HOHENWARTER O.¹, STRUTZENBERGER K.¹, KATINGER H.¹, LIEPINS A.², NOWICKY J.W.³

1) Institute of Applied Microbiology, University of Agriculture, Nussdorfer Lände 11, 1190 Vienna.
2) Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, A1B 3V6 Canada.
3) Ukrainian Anti-Cancer Institute, Margaretenstrasse 7, 1040 Vienna, Austria.

Summary: The inhibitory effect of Ukrain on malignant cells and on normal cells, in vitro, has been compared. To obtain a 50% inhibition of cell growth, a tenfold concentration had to be used with normal endothelial cells compared to a human osteosarcoma cell line. Hybrids of the two cell types showed nearly the same sensitivity as normal cells. A laser scanning microscope showed a high uptake of Ukrain in malignant cells, while the content in normal cells under the same experimental conditions was substantially lower.