Action of cytosine arabinoside on human tumor cells isolated from malignant effusions: in vitro phosphorylation and inhibition of DNA synthesis.

Tumor cells were isolated from malignant effusions of three patients with disseminated solid tumors of different origin. Intracellular accumulation of nondiffusible cytosine arabinoside (ara-C) nucleotides was used to measure phosphorylation. Mouse leukemia L 1210 and L 1210/CA, and ara-C-resistant subline, were used as reference cells. Phosphorylation activity was similar in the cells from all three solid tumors and showed a linear increase with drug concentrations of 0.1--100 micograms/ml. In contrast to activity in L 1210 cells, the in vitro activity was not saturable at drug levels up to 100 micrograms/ml. Ara-C inhibited the incorporation of thymidine into DNA 84%--90% in the solid tumor cells at a concentration of 10 micrograms/ml. Higher drug concentrations did not result in further inhibition. In one patient, DNA synthesis of tumor cells isolated before and after intraperitoneal instillation of 1,000 mg ara-C was measured. The in vivo inhibition was found to correspond to the in vitro data. Solid tumor cells isolated from malignant effusion have no greatly reduced capacity for cellular formation of ara-C/nucleotides, but higher drug levels than achieved with conventional therapy are necessary for sufficient ara-C nucleotide synthesis.