Effect of N-acetylcysteine on the antiproliferative action of X-rays or bleomycin in cultured human lung tumor cells

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Abstract
N-Acetylcysteine is currently being considered as a possible selective protector against pulmonary toxicity resulting from X-rays or chemotherapeutic treatment, but its clinical application await evidence that it does not interfere with the efficient killing of tumor cells. The capacity of N-acetylcysteine to protect against the antitumor activity of X-rays and of bleomycin was evaluated in a clonogenic cell-survival assay using SW-1573 human squamous lung carcinoma cells as a tumor model. Using the highest nontoxic dose of N-acetylcysteine (incubation for 2 days in the continuous presence of 10 mM) no effect on clonogenic cell killing by X-rays or bleomycin treatment could be detected, even though a twofold enhancement of endogenous glutathione was effectuated. Our data thus indicate that clinically relevant concentrations of N-acetylcysteine are incapable of protecting tumor cell against clonogenic killing by X-rays and by bleomycin.