Our previous studies on selenite cytotoxicity led us to hypothesize that drug resistant tumor cells with high intracellular glutathione will exhibit a high degree of sensitivity to selenite. To examine this we studied the effects of selenite on drug resistant human ovarian tumor (NIH:OVCAR-3) cells in three assays of cytotoxicity: proliferation; cell viability (trypan blue exclusion); and attachment to a solid matrix. The cells were sensitive to low levels of selenite: concentrations as low as 5 µm inhibited cell proliferation and attachment; and viability was decreased by concentrations as low as 20 µm. In each of these assays the NIH:OVCAR-3 cells were more sensitive to selenite than were drug sensitive human ovarian tumor (A2780) cells. These results suggest the potential for the utilization of selenite in the treatment of some drug resistant tumors.

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This work was supported by Grant ES-04087 from the NIH and a grant from the American Institute for Cancer Research. P. C. is a recipient of a Postdoctoral Fellowship from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. This is Publication 106 from the Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers-Newark.

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©1992 American Association for Cancer Research.
1992
American Association for Cancer Research, Inc.