Interaction of Mono- and Polyhydroxy Alcohols with Hyperthermia in CHO Cells

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Abstract
The monohydroxy alcohol, ethanol and the dihydroxy alcohols, propylene glycol and glycol, enhance the killing of CHO cells by hyperthermia (45.degree. C) in vitro. At an equimolar concentration (1 M), the sensitization to hyperthermia was greatest for ethanol, intermediary for propylene glycol, and least for ethylene glycol. The presence of the trihydroxy alcohol, glycerol, in the culture medium during heating protected cells against heat-induced killing. The hexahydroxy alcohol, sorbitol, neither increased nor decreased significantly the cell killing by 45.degree. C hyperthermia. At 1-h exposure at 37.degree. C to any of the alcohols, including glycerol, followed by a 6-h incubation at 37.degree. C in fresh medium did not significantly alter the cellular sensitivity to 45.degree. C hyperthermia. Alcohols can sensitize CHO cells to or protect them from hyperthermia when present during heating, but do not induce thermotolerance. The results are interpreted in terms of the literature on alcohol denaturation of proteins and membranes and the ability of the alcohols to penetrate the plasma membrane.