Cell killing and kinetic effects of diglycolaldehyde on dividing and nondividing mammalian cells in vitro.

The effects of the anticancer drug diglycolaldehyde (NSC-118994) were studied on Chinese hamster ovary cells growing in vitro. Dividing cells, specifically those in S-phase, were more sensitive to the drug than were nondividing cells, although a large fraction of nondividing cells was also killed by doses up to 800 microgram/ml. Dose-dependent effects on cell progression kinetics were observed in all phases of the cell cycle except in mitosis, during which treated cells progressed at control rates into G1-phase. The inhibition of cell progression from G1- into S-phase (most sensitive phase of the cell cycle) put self-limiting restrictions on the cell killing effects of the drug.