Hyperthermia experiments on human mesothelioma cell lines
December 2007
As a continuation of studying the effects of hyperthermia on mouse mesothelioma cell growth, we extended the heat exposure experiments in human cell lines. Two human mesothelioma lines (28 and 211H), one human small cell lung carcinoma line (H1668), and a normal human lung fibroblast cell line (MRC-5) were utilized.
All lines were exposed to 42°C for a period of time between 20 and 60 minutes. MTS was added and readings were taken after 25 hours of incubation. As can be seen in Figure 1, heat exposure results in a drop in survival in both human mesothelioma cell lines. We also noted a drop in survival for the human small cell lung carcinoma line (not pictured). In general, the longer the heat exposure, the more the cytotoxic effect on cancer cell lines. There was no cytotoxic effect seen on the normal human lung fibroblast cell line as a result of hyperthermia at 42°C.
Figure 1: Heat treatment of human mesothelioma cell lines (H28 and 211H), human small cell lung carcinoma cell line (H1668), and human normal lung fibroblast cell line (MRC-5).
Conclusions:
Hyperthermia at 42°C is cytotoxic to human mesothelioma cell lines (H28 and 211H) and human small cell lung carcinoma cell line. At most, after 60 minutes of hyperthermic treatment, mesothelioma cell line survival is reduced by 30%, whereas human small cell lung carcinoma cell line is reduced by 37%. Thus far, in our experiments hyperthermia by itself has only a clinically modest cytotoxic effect on human and mouse mesothelioma cell lines ranging from 10-30% drop in cancer cell numbers.
Current and Future Work:
- We are in the process of testing three to four more human mesothelioma cell lines in vitro using hyperthermia.
- Chemotherapy drugs will be used in conjunction with hyperthermia. Chemotherapeutic drugs to be tested include Cisplatin, Doxorubicin hydrochloride (Adriamyocin), pemetrexed (Alimta), and gemcitabine (Gemzar).