Acquisition of platinum drug resistance and platinum cross resistance patterns in a panel of human ovarian carcinoma xenografts.

In vivo models of acquired resistance to the platinum-based agents cisplatin (CDDP), carboplatin (CBDCA), iproplatin (CHIP) and tetraplatin have been established using a panel of six parent human ovarian carcinoma lines, two (HX/110 and PXN/87) being derived from previously untreated patients. Resistance has been generated to CDDP (three lines), CBDCA (one line), CHIP (three lines) and tetraplatin (one line) either by treatment in vivo or (for one line to CDDP) through exposure in vitro and subsequent transfer to mice. With the four tumours where resistance was generated using CDDP or CBDCA, a complete cross-resistance to the remaining platinum agents studied was observed. In contrast, in one of three lines with derived resistance to the platinum (IV) agent, CHIP, (PXN/951) a retention in sensitivity was observed with CDDP and CBDCA. Only one of the six parent tumour lines (PXN/100) was markedly sensitive to tetraplatin. Where resistance was generated to tetraplatin (PXN/100T) there was some retention of activity by CDDP. For the CDDP-resistant line established in vitro, there was a close agreement between the cross-resistance profile obtained in vitro vs that obtained in vivo. This tumour panel may be useful in the elucidation of cellular and molecular resistance mechanisms to platinum drugs operative in vivo. Moreover, as they appear to mimic the clinical observations of shared cross-resistance between CDDP, CBDCA and CHIP, they may represent valuable preclinical evaluation models for the discovery of drugs capable of conferring responses in CDDP-refractory ovarian cancer.