The Effect of Common Antineoplastic Agents on Induction of Apoptosis in Canine Lymphoma and Leukemia Cell Lines

Abstract Lymphoma, the most common hematopoietic cancer in dogs is sensitive to chemotherapy which is the dominant treatment method. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the concentration-dependent cytotoxicity and ability to induce apoptosis of the anti-neoplastic agents cyclophosphamide (CYC), chlorambucil (CBL), cytosine arabinoside (ARA), dexamethasone (DEX), doxorubicin (DOX), etoposide (ETO), lomustine (LOM), prednisone (PRED) and vincristine (VINK) against GL-1, CL-1, CLBL-1 and Jurkat cell lines. To determine cell viability and level of apoptosis, three different tests were performed: Thiazolyl Blue Tetrazolium Bromide (MTT), annexin V/propidium iodide (An/PI) staining and flow cytometric DNA fragmentation. All tested substances exhibited concentration-dependent inhibitory effects on the proliferation of the examined cell lines with a different level of apoptosis induction. VINK and DOX strongly decreased the viability of canine cell lines, whereas CYC induced the highest level of apoptosis. Canine lymphoma (CL-1, CLBL-1) and leukemia (GL-1) cell lines are a useful tool for developing new and more effective treatment regimes for canine neoplasia.