Korean Journal of Anesthesiology (Jan 2010)

Growth suppression of four cancer cells by hyperbaric nitrous oxide and methotrexate

  • Cheol Hee Jung,
  • Ji Yeon Sim,
  • Wonsik Ahn

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2010.58.1.61
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 58, no. 1
pp. 61 – 69

Abstract

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BackgroundNitrous oxide concentration is easily controlled by respiratory ventilation. It suppresses bone marrow via the inhibition of thymidylate synthesis. The aim of this work was to determine the optimal pressure and exposure duration of nitrous oxide, as well as methotrexate concentration that maximizes the suppression of 4 cancer cells: CCRF-CEM, K562, A549 and MDA-MB-231.MethodsEach cancer cell was cultured in a hyperbaric chamber at 1, 2 and 3 atmosphere of 74% nitrous oxide for 24, 48, and 72 hours at 0, 0.3, 0.7, 1, 2, 5 and 10 µM methotrexate (MTX), respectively. The results were expressed in the ratio of the number of cancer cells cultured under specific conditions (S cells) to that under normal conditions (N cells).ResultsThe S/N ratio of CCRF-CEM cells was 87.4% in 24-hour culture, 95.0% in 48-hour culture and 115.9% in 72-hour culture (P 0.05). However, the S/N ratio of MDA-MB 231 cells was 66.9% in 24-hour culture, 83.1% in 48 hour culture and 87.8% in 72-hour culture (P < 0.05).ConclusionsOnly the growth of the MDA-MB-231 cells was significantly reduced after a longer exposure time to nitrous oxide, but those of the other cells were not.

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