Interactions of human leukocyte interferon with vinca alkaloids and other chemotherapeutic agents against human tumors in clonogenic assay.

Purified human leukocyte interferon produced by recombinant techniques (IFN-alpha A) was tested in vitro with chemotherapeutic drugs, vinblastine (VLB), vincristine (VCR), vindesine (VDS), vinzolidine (VZL), cis-platinum (PLAT), doxorubicin (DOXO), etoposide (VP-16), and melphalan (MEL). The activity of these agents alone or in combination was tested against various human tumor cell lines, using a modified soft agar clonogenic assay. Three human tumor cell lines (myeloma, RPMI 8226; breast, MCF-7; and colon, WiDR) showed sensitivity to these agents at clinically achievable drug concentrations. Statistically significant synergistic activity against in vitro colony formation was observed with the combination of VLB and IFN-alpha A. An additive or sub-additive effect was usually observed with the other agents tested. Continuous exposure of the 8226 myeloma cell line to both IFN-alpha A and PLAT showed evidence of a more significant potentiation. It is hypothesized that the synergistic effect observed between VLB and IFN-alpha A is due to some of their common mechanisms of action.