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A variety of molecules including growth factors are involved in the metastasis of breast cancer cells to bone. We have investigated the effects of osteoblast derived growth factors, such as insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta1), on doxorubicin (adriamycin)-induced apoptosis and growth arrest of estrogen receptor positive (ER+) (MCF-7) and negative (ER-) (MDA-MB-435) breast cancer cell lines. Human breast normal epithelial (MCF-10A), breast cancer (MCF-7) and metastatic breast cancer (MDA-MB-435) cell lines were exposed to different doses of doxorubicin (0.1, 1 or 10 microM) at various exposure times (12, 24 or 48 h). The doxorubicin cytotoxicity was found to be higher in cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-435 and MCF-7) compared with normal breast epithelial cells (MCF-10A cells). Doxorubicin appeared to exert a blockade of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-435 cells at the G2/M phase, and induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-435 (29 +/- 4.2% vs 3.4 +/- 1.9% control) as assessed by flow cytometry, DNA fragmentation and terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase mediated deoxyuridine 5-triphosphate and biotin nick-end labelling (TUNEL) assays. Estradiol (E2) stimulated the growth of MCF-7 cells and increased the distribution of the cells at the G2/M and S phases. Exogenous IGF-1 partially neutralized the doxorubicin cytotoxicity in both cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-435). Similarly, TGF-beta1 partially neutralized the doxorubicin cytotoxicity in MDA-MB-435 cells by reducing the number of cells at the

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The physicochemical properties and in vivo distribution of poly(L-lactide) (L-PLA) microspheres containing 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) prepared by a solvent evaporation method were evaluated for potential use in the treatment of liver cancers. Two different molecular weight polymers of L-PLA [L-PLA1 (152,500 Da) and L-PLA2 (52,000 Da)] were used to prepare 5-FU-loaded microspheres. The mean particle size of the microspheres was 3-6 microns, and there was a direct relationship between the mean particle size and the molecular weight of the polymers. The drug release behavior from microspheres exhibited a diffusion mechanism in different dissolution media, with the molecular weight of the polymer being a major factor in controlling the drug release and degradation rates. Following intravenous injection of 99mTc-labeled L-PLA microspheres, with or without 5-FU, or free 5-FU into mice, L-PLA2 microspheres localized mainly in the liver. The disappearance rate of radioactivity from the tissue was very slow in comparison to that of free 5-FU. The results were confirmed by histological examination of liver tissue following administration of fluorescein particles. In addition, growth of a human liver tumor as first transplant generation under the renal capsule of immunocompetent rats and antitumor activity of L-PLA2 microspheres were investigated. Histological examination by optical microscopy showed that there was no neoplastic tissue of the kidney or in other tissues examined after treatment.