Experimental Studies on Cancer Report 1. Studies on the influences of several antitumor agents upon Bashford carcinoma by tissueculture

For different antitumor agents, Nitromin, thio-TEPA, Mitomycin C, and Chromomycin were added in various concentrations into roller tube culture of Bashford carcinoma cells, and thier influences upon the cellular morphology were studied by phase contrast microscopy and by stained preparations. The results obtained are as follows. 1. The minimil growth-inhibiting concentrations of Nitromin, thio-TEPA, Mitomycin C and Chromomycin were 1 r/ml, 0.5 r/ml, 0.01 r/ml and 0.01 r/ml, respectively. 2. The morphological alterations of Bashford carcinoma cells induced these antitumor agents at and around the minimal growth inhibiting concentrations included the following: (a) Nitromin caused dissociation of cells, nuclear alterations and appearance of "inclusion cells" in many cells, (b) thio-TEPA induced rupture of mitochondria and multinucleated giant cells, (c) Mitomycin C was mainly associated with cytoplamic changes such as vacuolization, mitochondrial rounding and cytoplasmic fusion, (d) Chromomycin was destructive to both nucleus and cytoplasm leading to the nuclear pycnosis and rupture of the cell membranes 3. The roller tube culture technique of Bashford carcinoma cells was considered an excellent system for the in vitro screening of antitumor agents