Objective: Our objective was to study the combined effect of taxol and tumor necrosis factor-alpha on the cytolysis of human ovarian carcinoma cell lines, because taxol has been shown to be active against ovarian carcinoma and has also been shown to increase tumor necrosis factor-alpha release from macrophages.
Study design: The combined effect of taxol and tumor necrosis factor-alpha on the cell lines Caov-3, SK-OV-3, NIH:OVCAR-3, and A2780, which are sensitive to the cytolytic effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the presence of inhibitors of protein synthesis, was investigated with a 24-hour chromium 51 release assay.
Results: At therapeutic concentrations taxol caused a significant increase in tumor necrosis factor-alpha-mediated cytolysis of Caov-3 and A2780 (p < or = 0.05). By contrast, taxol caused a decrease in the tumor necrosis factor-alpha-mediated cytolysis of SK-OV-3 and NIH:OVCAR-3 (p < or = 0.01).
Conclusion: These results suggest that ovarian carcinomas have a heterogeneous response to the chemotherapeutic effect of taxol.