[Inhibitory effects of menogaril to the proliferation of HTLV-I infected T-cell lines and fresh tumor cells from adult T-cell leukemia patients].

Anti-cancer effect of anthracyclines are well established. In vitro inhibitory effects of a new anthracyclin-derivative drug, menogaril (TUT-7) which is developed for oral administration, on three human T-cell leukemia virus type-I (HTLV-I) infected T-cell lines, a HTLV-I non-infected T cell line, and fresh tumor cells from four adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cases are evaluated and compared to those of doxorubicin. The inhibitory effects of TUT-7 is almost as much as those of doxorubicin. Both TUT-7 and doxorubicin induced apoptosis to a HTLV-I infected cell line and inhibited proliferation of fresh tumor cells from ATL of chronic, acute and lymphoma type in a dose dependent manner. We have already reported that skin eruption of ATL patient improved by oral administration of TUT-7. This new anthracyclin-derivative would be useful in treating ATL patients even in out-patients clinic keeping a good quality of life.