AnticarcinomaActivity of Rhodamine123 againsta MurineRenalAdenocarcinoma

The mitochondria of carcinoma cells retain the permeant cat ionic compound rhodamine 123 longer than the mitochondria of normal epi thelial cells. The possibility of exploiting this difference in the chemo therapy of a murine renal adenocarcinoma was investigated. Rhodamine 123 exhibited ani ¡carcinomaactivity in mice and this activity was poten tiated by 2-deoxyglucose and methylglyoxal bis(guanylbydrazone), a chemotherapeutic agent that is toxic to mitochondria. Prolonged retention of rhodamine 123 by renal tumor cells compared with normal renal epithelial cells was demonstrated by flow cytometry, perhaps explaining its antitumor activity. A combination of both mitochondria! toxins, rho- damine 123 and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) produced the long est survival and had the greatest antitumor effect.