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Taurolidine: a novel anti-neoplastic agent induces apoptosis of osteosarcoma cell lines

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Summary

Taurolidine, the active agent of Taurolin®, is a broad spectrum anti-biotic that has been used for over 15 years for the treatment of severe surgical infections. Recently, taurolidine has been shown to possess anti-neoplastic properties in vitro and in vivo against a variety of cancers including ovarian, colon and prostate. In this study we assessed the cytotoxic activity of taurolidine against human osteosarcoma (OS) cell lines and normal human bone cells. Treatment with taurolidine inhibited the growth of all ten osteosarcoma cell lines tested and taurolidine was equally potent against cell lines with and without distinct genetic defects (i.e. p53, Rb). Moreover, taurolidine-induced growth inhibition was found to be associated with a dose dependent increase in the number of apoptotic cells and apoptosis was shown to be caspase-dependent. Taurolidine treatment was also found to inhibit adhesion of OS cell lines. Compared to OS cell lines, normal bone cells in primary culture were found to be less sensitive to the cytotoxic and anti-adhesive effects of taurolidine. These data indicate that taurolidine possesses potent anti-neoplastic activity against osteosarcoma cell lines and may have potential as a novel OS chemotherapeutic agent.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a grant from the Walter L. and Johanna Wolf Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Orthopaedic Research, Department of Orthopaedics, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Forchstrasse 340, 8008, Zürich, Switzerland

    Denise K. Walters, Roman Muff, Bettina Langsam, Philipp Gruber, Walter Born & Bruno Fuchs

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  1. Denise K. Walters
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  2. Roman Muff
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  3. Bettina Langsam
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  4. Philipp Gruber
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  5. Walter Born
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  6. Bruno Fuchs
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Correspondence to Bruno Fuchs.

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Walters, D.K., Muff, R., Langsam, B. et al. Taurolidine: a novel anti-neoplastic agent induces apoptosis of osteosarcoma cell lines. Invest New Drugs 25, 305–312 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10637-007-9052-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10637-007-9052-9

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