[Cytotoxic action of selenium-containing compounds on cultured cells of human ovarian carcinoma].

The effect of different inorganic and organic selenium compounds on the nucleic acid synthesis in culture of human carcinoma ovary cells was studied. The rate of synthesis was determined by the incorporation of 3H-thymidine in the DNA and 3H-uridine in the RNA. Selenium compounds in the concentration to 1 mg/ml inhibited the nucleic acid synthesis in human tumour cells. The level of nucleic acid inhibition depends on the concentration of examined compounds. The tetravalent selenium compounds possessed the most pronounced cytotoxic effect.