Differential effects of 5-fluorouracil on human skin melanocytes and malignant melanoma cells in vitro

• Published in: Acta dermato-venereologica Vol. 66; no. 6; p. 474
• Main Authors: Tsuji, T, Karasek, M A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sweden 1986
• Subjects: Cell Division; Cell Line; Cells, Cultured; DNA - biosynthesis; DNA, Neoplasm - biosynthesis; Fluorouracil - pharmacology; Humans; Melanocytes - cytology; Melanocytes - drug effects; Melanocytes - metabolism; Melanoma - diagnosis; Melanoma - metabolism; Melanoma - pathology; Skin Neoplasms - diagnosis; Skin Neoplasms - metabolism; Skin Neoplasms - pathology
• ISSN: 0001-5555
• DOI: 10.2340/0001555566474478

We have observed differential effects of the cytotoxicity of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on human skin melanocytes and malignant melanoma cells in vitro. In the absence of 5-FU the melanoma cells multiplied much more rapidly than the melanocytes. With a 7-day exposure of 5-FU (1.92 X 10(-5) to 3.84 X 10(-4) M) all the melanoma cells died by 5 W, while even two times longer exposure (a 14-day exposure) of 5-FU the melanocytes survived till 6 W and increased at the lower concentration. In the presence of 5-FU there was a different compensatory increase in [3H] thymidine incorporation between the two cell types. That is, compared with the large increase observed in the incorporation by the melanoma cells, a small increase in the incorporation by the melanocytes was observed. The reason for these differential effects of 5-FU may be the difference in the cell cycle and the post-injury cell renewal of the two cell types.