The MTT assay yields a relatively lower result of growth inhibition than the ATP assay depending on the chemotherapeutic drugs tested

Accurate assessment of the anti-growth effects of chemotherapeutics is immensely importance in cancer research with regard to drug discovery and toxicological safety. A number of in vitro cytotoxicity assays are used for these purposes. However, there is the possibility for different results in the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Toxicology in vitro 2008-02, Vol.22 (1), p.232-239
Main Authors: Ulukaya, Engin, Ozdikicioglu, Ferda, Oral, Arzu Yilmaztepe, Demirci, Meral
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
A549
Adenosine Triphosphate - metabolism
Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage
Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology
ATP Assay
Cell Line, Tumor
Cell Survival - drug effects
Chemotherapeutics
Cytotoxicity
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor - methods
Humans
In vitro
In Vitro Techniques
Inhibitory Concentration 50
Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy
MTT Assay
Reproducibility of Results
Tetrazolium Salts - metabolism
Thiazoles - metabolism
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Summary:Accurate assessment of the anti-growth effects of chemotherapeutics is immensely importance in cancer research with regard to drug discovery and toxicological safety. A number of in vitro cytotoxicity assays are used for these purposes. However, there is the possibility for different results in the assessments because the way they measure the viability of cancer cells is specific to each assay. In the present study, the performance of two common assays (MTT and ATP) in the assessment of anti-growth effects of chemotherapeutics on a lung cancer cell line (A549) was compared. The cells were treated with paclitaxel, docetaxel, gemcitabine, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), etoposide, doxorubicin, epirubicin, cisplatin, 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide (4-HC) and carboplatin in six different concentrations. When taking all the drugs and inhibitions into account, a moderate correlation ( r = 0.670; p = 0.01) between the assays was found. However, IC 50 values by the MTT assay were higher in 90% of the drugs than those found by the ATP assay. In addition to this, there was a statistically significant difference between the dose response curves of the assays, which was dependent on the drugs of choice. We recommend caution in comparing these assays to evaluate the anti-growth effects of chemotherapeutics because the MTT assay seem to give rise to relatively lower inhibition (higher viability) levels than the ATP assay, depending on the drugs of choice.
ISSN:0887-2333
1879-3177
DOI:10.1016/j.tiv.2007.08.006