The effect of common antineoplastic agents on induction of apoptosis in canine lymphoma and leukemia cell lines

Background/aim: Lymphoma, the most common hematopoietic cancer in dogs is sensitive to chemotherapy which is the dominant treatment method. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the concentration-dependent cytotoxicity and ability to induce apoptosis of the anti-neoplastic agents cyclophosphamide (CYC), chlorambucil (CBL), cytosine arabinoside (ARA), dexamethasone (DEX), doxorubicin (DOX), etoposide (ETO), lomustine (LOM), prednisone (PRED) and vincristine (VINK) against GL-1, CL-1, CLBL-1 and Jurkat cell lines.

Materials and methods: To determine cell viability and level of apoptosis, three different tests were performed: Thiazolyl Blue Tetrazolium Bromide (MTT), annexin V/propidium iodide (An/PI) staining and flow cytometric DNA fragmentation.

Results: All tested substances exhibited concentration-dependent inhibitory effects on the proliferation of the examined cell lines with a different level of apoptosis induction. VINK and DOX strongly decreased the viability of canine cell lines, whereas CYC induced the highest level of apoptosis.

Conclusion: Canine lymphoma (CL-1, CLBL-1) and leukemia (GL-1) cell lines are a useful tool for developing new and more effective treatment regimes for canine neoplasia.