Lack of efficacy of troglitazone at clinically achievable concentrations, with or without 9-cis retinoic acid or cytotoxic agents, for hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines.

Although the PPARgamma agonist troglitazone has been shown to induce growth inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells at high concentration, this study indicates troglitazone does not significantly inhibit the growth of HCC cells at clinically achievable concentrations (1-10 microM), and this lack of activity could not be improved by the addition of 9-cis-retinoic acid. Furthermore, no synergistic effect was found between troglitazone and cytotoxic anticancer agents.