Monitoring of anticancer effect of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil on HepG2 cells by quartz crystal microbalance and micro CCD camera.

We have developed a monitoring system for evaluating the effect of anticancer agents, such as cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The system mainly consisted of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) with indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes and a micro CCD camera that can function in a humid CO(2) incubator. Human hepatoma cell line HepG2 cells were cultured and treated with the anticancer agents. As the behavior on the resonance frequency (F)-resonance resistance (R) diagram shows the viscoelastic change on the surface of the QCM, the effect of the anticancer agent was evaluated with the F-R diagram and the micro CCD camera, in comparison with the results in the case of general culturing (no anticancer agent injection). During general culturing, the resonance frequency decreased and the resonance resistance increased. This means that the mass loading of a viscous material occurred on the QCM. Observing with the micro CCD camera, the cancer cells were spread, divided, and the number of the cells increased. On the other hand, when the anticancer agent was injected to the culturing cancer cells, the resonance frequency and the resonance resistance increased continuously. This means a decrement of the mass effect and an increment of the viscosity on the QCM. From the observation with the micro CCD camera, the number of the cells did not change. The cells shrinked and changed the shape flat to round by loosing the cell activity in the case of 5-FU treatment. These results indicate the anticancer agents were effective to the culturing cancer cells.