Identification and Evaluation of Potential Anti-cancer Drugs on Human Neuroendocrine Tumor Cell Lines

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate drug sensitivity in neuroendocrine tumor cell lines. Materials and Methods: In vitro drug sensitivity screening was performed using the fluorometric microculture cytotoxicity assay in one human pancreatic carcinoid and two human bronchial carcinoid cell lines. In addition, a normal human retinal pigment epithelial cell line was used for comparison. A total of 18 drugs with different mechanisms of action were tested. Results: The most active agents were brefeldin A, emetine, bortezomib and idarubicin, having IC₅₀ values <1 μM in all four cell lines. In addition, the three tumor cell lines showed sensitivity for sanguinarine, Bay11-7085, mitoxantrone, doxorubicin, β-lapachone, NSC 95397 and CGP-74514A. Conclusion: The cell lines were sensitive for several drugs acting in different ways, covering a broad spectrum of mechanisms of action. Some of these compounds may possibly be used in clinical trials and show therapeutic effect in patients with neuroendocrine tumors.