Hydroxyurea: Possible Relationship of Cytotoxicity to Inhibition of Skin Carcinogenesis

Summary

Intraperitoneal injection of mice with hydroxyurea (0.5 mg/g body wt) resulted in the loss of about 60% of the DNA-synthesizing cells from normal mouse epidermis. The same dose of hydroxyurea was not cytotoxic in rapidly proliferating epidermis 1 day after croton oil application. When a second hydroxyurea injection was given 2 days after croton oil, about 30% of the DNA-synthesizing cells were destroyed. Inhibition of skin carcinogenesis by hydroxyurea may be due to its toxicity to potential tumor cells.