The cytotoxicity of mitomycin C and Adriamycin in genetically engineered V79 cell lines and freshly isolated rat hepatocytes

The objective of the present study was to investigate the cytotoxicity of Adriamycin (ADR) and mitomycin C (MMC) in tumor and non-tumor cells with respect to the role of cytochrome P450 (P450). Therefore, genetically engineered V79 Chinese hamster fibroblasts expressing only single enzymes of P450 were used. SD1 and XEM2 cells expressed rat P450IIB1 and P450IA1, respectively, whereas the V79 parental cells contained no detectable P450 levels. The cytotoxicity of ADR and MMC in the V79 cell system was compared with that in freshly isolated hepatocytes from phenobarbital (PB-hepatocytes)- and beta-naphthoflavone (beta NF-hepatocytes)-induced rats. Following 24 h of exposure to ADR equal cytot…