Cytotoxicity of Steroids to Mammalian Cells in Tissue Culture

Abstract

The cytotoxicity of a number of steroids to Earle's L cells (NCTC 929), Gey's adrenal cells (3G29), and Ehrlich ascites cells (Squibb #2) was determined using cells grown in suspension culture in serum-containing media. The L cells were much more sensitive to fluorinated steroids than they were to the non-fluorinated parent compounds; progesterone derivatives were more toxic than corticosteroids. The adrenal cells were quite insensitive to the fluorinated steroids, while the Ehrlich ascites cells were less sensitive than the L cells but more sensitive than the adrenal cells. The adrenal cells were found to convert progesterone to: Δ4-pregnene-20α-ol-3-one; Δ4-pregnene-20β/-ol-3-one; Δ4-pregnene-6α-ol-3,20-dione; and Δ4-pregnene-6β-ol-3,20-dione, as determined by filter paper chromatographic methods and spot tests. A similar series of compounds was formed from 11α-hydroxyprogesterone by this cell line.