[Anticancer drug sensitivity test using the short-term microplate culture and MTT dye reduction assay]

We have applied the MTT dye reduction assay to the anticancer drugs sensitivity test using short-term microplate cultures. The tumor cells were cultured with the anticancer drugs for 2 and 4 days. After culture, MTT dye was placed in each microwell and culture was carried out again for 4 more hours. The formazans generated by living cells were dissolved in acidified isopropyl alcohol and the absorbances of each well were measured at a wavelength of 540 nm. When tables of cytotoxicity indices classified into anticancer drugs, concentrations and durations of culture for each type of leukemic cell were made, it became possible to compare each drug and to select the effective ones. This assay is simple, precise, rapid, has no washing steps and is convenient for handling a large volume of material. We apply this assay in clinical practice.