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. 1990 Feb;61(2):279–284. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1990.52

Characterisation of a mouse tumour cell line with in vitro derived resistance to verapamil.

P R Twentyman 1, K A Wright 1, N E Fox 1
PMCID: PMC1971385  PMID: 1968761

Abstract

We have established a subline (EMT6/VRP) of the mouse tumour cell line EMT6/P with acquired resistance to the calcium transport blocker verapamil (VRP). The subline was 4-fold resistant to the cytoxicity of VRP alone compared with the parent line but of similar sensitivity to adriamycin, vincristine or colchicine. EMT6/VRP cells growing in 75 micrograms ml-1 VRP were morphologically different from and larger in diameter than EMT6/P cells, but these two parameters reverted almost to normal within 3 days of VRP removal, although resistance was retained. Expression of an mRNA coding for P-glycoprotein was similar in EMT6/VRP and the parent cell line, although considerable hyperexpression was seen in a multidrug resistant subline, EMT6/AR1.0. Cellular accumulation of both 3H-daunorubicin and 3H-VRP were greater in EMT6/VRP than in the parent line. Sensitisation to adriamycin by 3.3 micrograms ml-1 VRP was, however, somewhat reduced in EMT6/VRP (i.e. to 6.1-fold) compared with the 11-fold sensitisation seen in the parent line. It is clear that resistance to VRP seen in this cell line occurs via a different mechanism from the resistance to drugs such as adriamycin, vincristine and colchicine seen in multidrug resistant cell lines.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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