Cytogenetic studies of the drug methotrexate (MTX)‎ on the blood lymphocytes of colon cancer patients

Abstract EN

The aim of study is to investigate the cytogenctic parameters in order ta dcfine the cffcct of methotrexate (MTX) on blood lymphocytes, manifested by blast index (BI), mitotic index (MI), replicative index (RI), and sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs).

The results showed signifieant réduction in BI and MI and RI indices with MTX concentrations (0.0, 0.2 ,0.5 ,1, 2, 4, 8, ng/ml) in comparison with the control.

The results of BI showed signifieant réduction according to increasing of concentration.

Of the drug in colon cancer patients, it gave 28.6 %, 18.6 %, 14.5%, 10.4%, 6.8 % , 6.7 %, 3.3% respectivcly.

The results of (MI ) gave 3.6 %, 2.3%, 1.6%, 0.18%, 0.22%, 0.0%, 0.0 % rcspcctivcly.

The values of (RI), gave 0.72% at zéro concentration and 0.44% at concentration of 0.2^g/ml of M% TX and 0.27 % at concentration of 0.5jig/ml.

On the other hand the SCE showed incrcascs in the SCEs frequcncy in colon cancer samples in MTX concentration (0.0, 0.2, 0.5, ng/ml) which gave 8.47, 10.41, 10.49.

respectivcly.

The SCEs in the high concentration of drug (1,2,4,8 ng/ml) cannot bc detected due to its toxicity of the drug.

The mutation fraction increascd in colon cancer patient which gave 9 at 0.2 jig/ml, and 15.72 at 0.5 ng/ml and 4.1 in 1 jig/ml.

The conclusion demonstrated dccrcasing in (MI), (BI) and (RI) and increasing in the SCEs frequcncics and mutation traction in colon cancer patients in comparison with the control.

The prcscnce of mutant cells in lymphocytes of colon cancer that résistant to MTX, gave an idea about amplification in DHFR genc that regulate the activity of DHFR enzyme and also indicatcd the résistance of cancer cells to drugs.