BACKGROUND: Taurolidine was recently found to have a direct and selective antineoplastic effect on @entity1313 cells. The ability of taurolidine to exert antineoplastic action by enhancement of Fas-mediated apoptosis in different @entity11 cell lines was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: @entity1 derived U373 cells were cultured and incubated with taurolidine and the median inhibitory concentration (IC50) was calculated. Flow cytometric analysis was performed to assess changes in DNA content. The cells were qualitatively and quantitatively examined using light microscopy and electron microscopy. @entity1 and @entity1 cells were incubated in the absence or presence of either @entity12 , taurolidine or respective combinations thereof. The cell viability was determined by adding a double concentrated WST-1 reagent. The activity of the mitochondrial succinate reductase was measured in an ELISA reader. RESULTS: The exposure of U373 cells to taurolidine led to a concentration-dependent (IC50 35.8 +/- 2.2 micrograms/ml) loss of cell viability. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated a concentration-dependent appearance of DNA debris in the sub-Go/G1 region. In the presence of 6.25 vol.% @entity12 , @entity1 cells displayed more than 90% loss of cell viability, whereas the viability of @entity1 cells was reduced only at higher concentrations of @entity12 . Taurolidine by itself did not appreciably affect the viability of @entity1 cells in the investigated concentration range, but was able to enhance the effect of Fasligand on @entity1 cells. The exposure of @entity1 cells to taurolidine alone caused an appreciable loss of cell viability by about 70% at the highest concentration tested. Cell destruction by @entity12 (10 vol.%) was enhanced in the presence of taurolidine. CONCLUSION: The antineoplastic activity of taurolidine seems to be partially based on the enhancement of @entity12 -induced apoptosis. In addition, taurolidine was demonstrated to have an antieoplastic effect independent of @entity12 . Perhaps taurolidine exerts antineoplastic activity based on different mechanisms.

Enhancement of XXXX -mediated programmed cell death by taurolidine.

@entity11 :: ('MESH:D005910', 'Disease') :: ['malignant glioma'] @entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['LN-229', 'Human', 'LN-18'] @entity12 :: ('356', 'Gene') :: ['Fas-ligand'] @entity1313 :: ('MESH:D001932', 'Disease') :: ['brain tumor']
@entity12 :: (356,Gene) :: ['Fas-ligand']
