Synergistic antiproliferative effect of interferon-beta in combination with bleomycin or neocarzinostatin on HeLa cells in culture: additive effect when combined with adriamycin or mitomycin C.

Human fibroblast interferon (IFN)-beta was administered in combination with the free radical-generating antiproliferative agents bleomycin (BLM), neocarzinostatin (NCS), adriamycin (ADM), and mitomycin C (MMC) to HeLa cells in culture. IFN showed a true synergistic antiproliferative activity in the presence of BLM or NCS. These effects were observed regardless of the ratio of IFN to BLM or NCS concentrations. However, the effect of IFN in the presence of ADM or MMC was additive. The possibility that IFN-beta potentiates the antiproliferative effects of these free radical-generating agents in a different manner is also discussed.