LEVELS OF GLUTATHIONES TRANSFERASE π mRNA IN HUMAN LUNG CANCER CELL LINES CORRELATE WITH THE RESISTANCE TO CISPLATIN AND CARBOPLATIN

The amounts of mRNA for glutathione S transferase π (GST π) were significantly lower in 3 human small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell lines than in 3 non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines. The sensitivities of the 3 SCLC cell lines to cisplatin and carboplatin were much higher than those of the 3 NSCLC cell lines. These results indicate that low levels of GST π mRNA expression in SCLC cell lines inversely correlate to high sensitivity to cisplatin and carboplatin, and further suggest that GST π may play an important role in intracellular inactivation of these drugs.