RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Separating Response of Tumor and non-Tumor Cells to Drug In Vitro by Quantifying a Mutation JF Anticancer Research JO Anticancer Res FD International Institute of Anticancer Research SP 1777 OP 1783 DO 10.21873/anticanres.13284 VO 39 IS 4 A1 MARKUS KLEINPOPPEN A1 CHRISTOPH MOEBIUS A1 KATHARINA GRUPP A1 LAN KLUWE A1 MARCO BLESSMANN YR 2019 UL http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/39/4/1777.abstract AB Background/Aim: Conventional in vitro assays measure the effect of drugs on total cells, while separating the effect to those on tumor and non-tumor cells is important for assessing drug specificity. Our aim was to evaluate the feasibility of separating the efficacy of vemurafenib on tumor and non-tumor cells in a mixed culture. Materials and Methods: Melanoma A2058 cells and CCD18Co non-tumor cells were mixed and treated with vemurafenib. DNA was subjected to digital PCR to determine the ratio of the mutant 1799A to the wild-type 1799T alleles and viabilities of total cells were subsequently calculated as percentages of tumor and non-tumor cells. Results: The set-up proportion of tumor cells correlated well with the calculated one. The calculated viability of tumor cells decreased with increasing doses of vemurafenib while that of the non-tumor cells remained rather constant. Variability of digital PCR data was high. Conclusion: Using the BRAF mutation 1799T>A to separate the response of tumor and non-tumor cells to a drug, such as vemurafenib, is feasible, supporting a foundation for a genetic in vitro tool for testing drug efficacy and specificity.