Differences in in vitro proliferative responsiveness to granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and interleukin 2 of bone marrow cells from mice treated with chemotherapeutic drugs.

The toxicity effects of several anticancer drugs on normal mouse bone marrow (BM) were estimated using the in vitro proliferative responsiveness [( 3H]thymidine incorporation) of the treated BM cells to recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and recombinant human interleukin 2 (IL-2). From the response pattern of the treated BM cells to G-CSF and IL-2, the anticancer drugs were classified into three groups: (a) BM cells from cyclophosphamide- or nimustine hydrochloride-treated mice showed an increased responsiveness to G-CSF but a decreased responsiveness to IL-2; (b) BM cells from vindesine- or peplomycin-treated mice showed an increased responsiveness to both G-CSF and IL-2; and (c) BM cells from mitomycin C-treated mice showed a decreased responsiveness to both G-CSF and IL-2. These different response patterns may reflect qualitative differences in the myelotoxicity effects of these anticancer drugs.