Comparative flow cytometric analysis of bleomycin toxicity on normal and tumour sheep cell kinetics in vitro

The cytotoxic effects of bleomycin on cell proliferation, morphology and cycle progression were compared in a sheep tumour cell line and in normal sheep sinus cells. They were concentration and time dependent, irreversible, and were accompanied by increased cell diameter and cytosolic synthetic activity. Cell accumulation in the G2M phase, without much change in the cell cycle progression through the S phase, was observed using flow cytometry. Although the tumour cells showed a greater sensitivity to low bleomycin concentrations compared to the normal cells, both cell types exhibited equal sensitivity to higher drug concentrations. Provided that tumour cells are also preferentially affected by bleomycin in vivo, these findings raise the possibility that bleomycin cytotoxicity can be reduced or avoided in normal tissue.