The detergent Triton X-100 induces a death pattern in human carcinoma cell lines that resembles cytotoxic lymphocyte-induced apoptosis.

The detergent Triton X-100 (TX100) was used with the intention to establish a model for necrotic cell death. However, TX100 was found to induce apoptotic and necrotic death in prostate and colon cancer cell lines. Apoptosis was characterized by the typical morphological features and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation. The rapid onset within 60 min and the lack of inhibition by cycloheximide indicated that apoptosis induced by TX100 was not dependent on protein synthesis. Removal of extracellular calcium blocked internucleosomal DNA fragmentation. This pattern of cell death shows a striking similarity to the effect of cytotoxic lymphocytes on their target cells.