Characterization of a human bladder cancer cell line selected for resistance to mitomycin C

This study describes characteristics of a human bladder cancer cell line J82/MMC that is 6-fold more resistant to mitomycin C (MMC) than the parental cells. The J82/MMC subline was isolated by repeated continuous exposures of the J82/WT cells to increasing concentrations of MMC. The J82/MMC cell line showed (1) collateral sensitivity to taxol, 5-FU and topoisomerase II inhibitors; and (2) cross-resistance to cisplatin, melphalan and MMC analogues BMY 25282 and BMY 25067. Levels of two key MMC activation enzymes, NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase and DT-diaphorase, were significantly lower in J82/MMC cells compared with J82/WT, suggesting that lower sensitivity of J82/MMC cells to MMC may result from deficient drug activation. Further support is indicated by: 1) reduction in the differential in toxicity between the 2 cell lines by BMY 25282; and 2) a higher effect of DT-diaphorase inhibitor dicumarol on the wild-type cells compared with J82/MMC. Although glutathione (GSH) levels did not differ in these cells, a small but significant increase in GSH transferase (GST) activity was noticed in J82/MMC cells. GST inhibitor ethacrynic acid significantly enhanced MMC cytotoxicity in the J82/MMC cell line. A small but significant increase in the level of anti-oxidative enzyme catalase, but not GSH peroxidase, was also observed in J82/MMC cell line compared with J82/WT. Thus, the possibility that relatively lower sensitivity of J82/MMC cells to MMC may result from reduced oxygen radical generation cannot be ruled out. MMC-induced DNA interstrand cross-linking was markedly lower in the J82/MMC cell line compared with J82/WT. Our results suggest that the MMC resistance in the J82/MMC cell line may be multifactorial.