Interactions of gemcitabine, carboplatin and paclitaxel in molecularly defined non-small-cell lung cancer cell lines

To evaluate in vitro interactions of carboplatin, gemcitabine and paclitaxel in molecularly defined non-small-cell lung cancer lines.

Three NSCLC lines, A549 (p16-,p53 wt, Rb wt), Calu-1 (p16-, p53-, Rb+) and H596 (p16 wt, p53 mut, Rb-) were utilized. Cells were exposed to carboplatin, gemcitabine and paclitaxel as individual drugs and in two- and three-drug combinations with various sequences of administration. Cytotoxicity was assessed with the MTT assay. Interactions between the drugs (additive, synergistic and antagonistic) were evaluated by median effect analysis.

Gemcitabine and carboplatin were synergistic in all three cell lines. In the A549 line, this synergy was most pronounced when gemcitabine preceded carboplatin. For three-drug combinations, paclitaxel was synergistic with gemcitabine and carboplatin regardless of sequence of administration.

In vitro modeling of gemcitabine and carboplatin as well as gemcitabine/carboplatin and paclitaxel demonstrates synergistic interaction regardless of p16, p53, or Rb status.