Cytotoxic action of prostaglandin D2 on mouse neuroblastoma cells

Addition to the culture medium of prostaglandin (PG) D2 resulted in the degeneration in a dose- and time-dependent manner of N18TG-2 cells cloned from mouse neuroblastoma. The ED50 for PGD2-induced cytotoxicity was about 10 microM. The degenerative changes were irreversible when the cells were exposed for more than 10 h. Scanning and transmission electron microscopic examination revealed that treatment with PGD2 resulted in appearance of numerous blebs of various sizes along the cell surface and also in destruction of surface membrane and of cytoplasmic organelles. Tumor weight of N18TG-2 neuroblastoma inoculated subcutaneously on the backs of A/J mice was about 35-70% less than that of controls after 14 days of single daily i.p. or s.c. injections of 0.5-1 mg/kg of PGD2. The results indicate that PGD2 has growth-inhibitory effects on mouse neuroblastoma cells in vitro and in vivo.