ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the antiproliferative activity of deuterium oxide (D2O) on urological cancer cells for the application of D2O in the treatment of urological cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Urological cancer cell A-498 (kidney), T-24 (bladder) and DU 145 (prostate) were used in this study. The changes in cellular proliferation and the expressions of the bcl-2 and bax genes, according to changes in the D2O concentrationand exposure time were measured. The changes in cellular proliferation were measured using a hemocytometer and the MTT assay, and the changes in gene expression by Western hybridization. RESULTS: D2O had antiproliferative effects, DU-145 was most resistant and T-24 was most sensitive to D2O. The proliferation of cells in T-24, as measured by the MTT assay, showed a reduced growth rate, which was the inverse of the increased D2O concentration and exposure time. The expression of bcl-2 was reduced with increasing exposure time and D2O concentration, and that of bax was increased with increasing exposure time and D2O concentration. CONCLUSIONS: From this study, the authors believe D2O has antiproliferative effects on urological cancers, and the effect on bladder cancer cells suggests that D2O shows potential as an agent for the treatment of early small bladder cancer or the prevention of superficial bladder cancer recurrence following transurethral resection.