Potentiation of vincristine cytotoxicity by hormones: Corticosteroids, androgens, estrogens and progestins

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Abstract
An in vitro system to evaluate the simultaneous use of 2 drugs was used; the synergism of vincristine [an antitumor drug] and prednisolone cytotoxicity against lymphoid cells [human SK-L7 cells] was previously confirmed. Experiments were carried out to determine whether other steroid hormones can be substituted for prednisolone. Partial or complete potentiation of vincristine cytotoxicity comparable to that achieved by the addition of prednisolone was observed when the latter drug was replaced by a variety of mineralocorticoids (aldosterone, desoxycorticosterone and fludrocortisone), glucocorticoids (hydrocortisone, dexamethasone), androgens (testosterone, methyltestosterone, androsterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, etiocholanolone), estrogens (estrone, 17.beta.-estradiol) and progestins (progesterone, pregnanediol). No potentiation of cytotoxicity was observed when nonsteroidal hormones (thyroxin, ACTH) were added to vincristine. A wide variety of compounds with the basic perhydrocyclopentanophenanthrene nucleus of the steroid molecule are capable of enhancing the cytotoxicity achieved with vincristine.