Modification of the Hypoxic Fraction of a Xenografted Human Colon Tumor by Differentiation-Inducing Agents

Abstract

Xenografted tumors were produced in nude mice by injection of HCT-15 human colon tumor cells. The hypoxic fractions of control tumors as determined from x-ray survival curves were approximately 18%. Other tumors were treated (every day × 9) with daily injections of N-methylformamide (150 mg/kg) or sodium butyrate (2, 000 mg/kg). For both agents, it was found that the hypoxic fractions were <0.05% and <1.7%, respectively. These data indicate that selected differentiation-inducing agents could be of value for treatment of human solid tumors that contain hypoxic cells. [J Natl Cancer Inst 1988;80:444–447]