In vitro screening model for the detection of agents active against myelogenous leukemia

This study was directed at defining the optimal in vitro screening methodology for the selection of new anti-myelogenous leukemia agents. Using thousands of samples of synthetic compounds from the Eastman Pharmaceutical, Inc. and Sterling Research Corporation (Eastman/Sterling) inventory, a number of sequential combinations of 8 cell lines were employed to optimize the model. The cells in these lines were of either murine (L1210 lymphocytic leukemia, C1498 myelogenous leukemia, and colony-forming unit-granulocyte macrophage [CFU-GM]) or human (HL-60, K-562, HEL, and THP-1 myelogenous leukemias, and CFU-GM) origin. The focus of the study was to find the most efficient and cost-effective manner in which to test compounds for both cytotoxicity against the tumor cells and for differential cytotoxicity against tumor as compared with normal cells.