Effects of proteasome inhibitor PSI on neoplastic and non-transformed cell lines

In this study we compared the sensitivity of different human and murine cell lines varying in the stage of transformation to dose- and time-dependent cytostatic and/or cytotoxic effects of PSI (a selective proteasome inhibitor), measured by a standard MTT assay. It was found that intensively proliferating cell lines were more sensitive to very small doses of PSI after 24 h incubation than the slow proliferating ones. Non-transformed cell lines showed no sensitivity to PSI, as there was no difference in cell viability in comparison with the control group even after 72 h incubation.