Inhibition of invasion activity in vitro by a novel class of antitumor agents: silatrane derivatives.

The effect of several silatranes on in vitro invasion of the human amnion basement membrane (BM) by A549 human lung carcinoma cells was examined. Cells treated for two days with the derivatives were examined for invasive activity in the absence of the compounds. From silatrane dose-invasion response curves, an 80% inhibition of invasiveness compared to untreated cells was obtained with 40 micrograms/mg of 1-vinyl silatrane, 50 micrograms/ml of 1-(p-aminophenyl) silatrane, 80 micrograms/mg of 1-(3-phenylthiocarbamidopropyl) silatrane, 66 micrograms/ml of parent silatrane or 171 micrograms/ml of 1-bromosilatrane. Treatment with these doses had no effect on viability, growth or BM attachment of A549 cells.