Selective protection of tubercidin toxicity by nitrobenzyl thioinosine in normal tissues but not in human neuroblastoma cells

Tubercidin, an adenosine analogue, is toxic to human neuroblastoma cell lines, to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and to myeloid colony-forming cells (CFU-C) as tested by a short-term labeled precursor uptake and by a clonogenic assay. When it was co-administered with a potent purine transport inhibitor, nitrobenzyl thioinosine (NBTI), the cytotoxic effect of tubercidin was abolished in PBMCs but not in neuroblastoma cells. Studies of nucleoside transport in neuroblastoma cells demonstrate that although [³H]NBTI binds to the plasma membrane of these cells, the transport of thymidine into the cells is only partially inhibited in the presence of excess NBTI. These data imply that neuroblastoma cells contain a nucleoside transport mechanism which is insensitive to NBTI. "Host protection" with a nucleoside transport inhibitor such as NBTI, may allow effective therapy with otherwise toxic dosages of tubercidin and other cytotoxic nucleosides in patients with neuroblastoma.