Drug sensitivity of methylnitrosourea- and 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(trans-4-methylcyclohexyl)-1-nitrosourea-resistant L1210 lines.

Drug sensitivity of methylnitrosourea (MNU)- and 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(trans-4-methylcyclohexyl)-1-nitrosourea (MeCCNU)-resistant L1210 lines have been compared. In the production of the MeCCNU-resistant line full resistance to MeCCNU was obtained after 15 generations with a gradual increase of the treatment dose. Treatment of L1210 with MNU (40 mg/kg i.p. on days 1, 3, and 5) produced after five or more treatment generations a MNU-resistant subline with reduced tumor growth in the untreated controls. Therapeutic responses of L1210, L1210-MeCCNU and L1210-MNU to MeCCNU, MNU, cyclophosphamide, 2,2'-dichloro-N-methyldiethylamine hydrochloride, 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine, methotrexate, and 6-mercaptopurine were compared in both non-and X-irradiated (400 R) mice. The L1210 and L1210-MeCCNU lines reacted similarly except that L1210-MeCCNU was resistant to Me-CCNU and MNU. However, the L1210-MNU line differed greatly from the parent line. The survival times in nonirradiated mice were increased in all except the MNU- and MeCCNU-treated groups, and in irradiated mice they were less than 30 days and only cyclophosphamide and 2,2'-dichloro-N-methyldiethylamine hydrochloride caused long-term survivors. The different behavior of L1210-MNU and L1210-MeCCNU is apparently due to the fact that at maximum tolerated doses the monofunctional alkylating agent MNU is more mutagenic than the bifunctional MeCCNU. Antigenic change and loss of growth potential presumably are the reasons for the different sensitivity of L1210-MNU as indicated by tests in X-irradiated and nude mice. Apparently this host-related sensitivity is not directly related to the development of drug resistance.