The radiosensitizing effect of fluorocyclopentenyl-cytosine (RX-3117) in ovarian and lung cancer cell lines

RX-3117 (fluorocyclopentenyl-cytosine) is a novel cytidine analog currently being evaluated in a Phase Ib clinical trial in cancer patients with solid tumors. The radiosensitizing effect of RX-3117 was studied in A2780 ovarian cancer cells and non-small cell lung cancer cell lines and related to cell survival and the effect on cell cycle and cell cycle proteins. RX-3117 has a schedule-dependent radiosensitizing effect, but only at pre-incubation (dose modifying factors: 1.4-1.8), observed at pulse and fractionated irradiation. Radiosensitizion was also seen in a three-dimensional spheroid model. At the low radiosensitizing concentration, RX-3117 in combination with radiation led to an accumulation of cells in S-phase, which was accompanied with an increase of cell cycle proteins such as p-Chk2 and p-cdc25C. In addition, RX-3117 caused DNA damage and increased apoptosis. In conclusion, our in vitro experiments showed a radiosensitizing effect of RX-3117.