Methylglyoxal bis(butylamidinohydrazone) exhibits antitumor effect on human malignant melanoma cells but reduces the antitumor action of cisplatin.
The antitumor effect of a polyamine biosynthetic pathway inhibitor methylglyloxal bis(butylamidinohydrazone) (MGBB) on human malignant melanoma (HMG) cells and its combination effect with cisplatin were investigated. The growth of cultured HMG cells was inhibited in a dose dependent manner by either MGBB or cisplatin; complete inhibition of cell proliferation was attained with 5 micrograms/ml of MGBB or 50 micrograms/ml of cisplatin. Pretreatment of HMG cells with MGBB diminished the antitumor action of cisplatin. The cultured HMG cells were inoculated in nude mice and aliquots of the resulting solid tumors (HMG tumor) were transplanted. The growth of transplanted HMG tumors in mice was inhibited markedly by cisplatin (3.8 mg/kg) and moderately by MGBB (10 or 20 mg/kg). The in vivo antitumor effect of cisplatin was also reduced by combined treatment with MGBB.