Inhibition of human hepatocellular carcinoma (PLC/PRF/5 and Hep3B) or hepatoblastoma (Hep G2) cell lines by inclusion of deferoxamine mesylate (desferrioxamine) (DFX) in the culture medium was evaluated. When PLC/PRF/5 cells were maintained for 7 days in 30 or 60 microM DFX, the cell number was decreased by 30-60%, little or no alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was produced, and supernatant endpoint dilution titers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were reduced 1-2 logs. PLC/PRF/5 cells maintained for 7 days without DFX (simultaneous controls) grew to confluence, produced AFP that reached 10-60 ng/ml in the supernate, and the HBsAg titer remained constant or increased 1 log. Similar effects were observed in Hep3B and Hep G2 cells maintained in DFX (except that Hep G2 cells do not produce HBsAg), compared to simultaneous control cells grown in the absence of DFX. The growth of a human embryonic lung fibroblast cell line (Wl 38) was not significantly inhibited by DFX, although it grew at a slower rate than simultaneous control cells grown without DFX. Subsequent growth in FeSO4 of PLC/PRF/5, Hep3B, and Hep G2 cells that previously had been maintained in DFX did not reverse the effects of DFX. PLC/PRF/5 cells were also inhibited when maintained in medium containing equimolar concentrations of DFX and FeCl3 and in medium containing equimolar concentrations of DFX and FeSO4. PLC/PRF/5 cells were not inhibited by maintenance in up to 60 microM of another chelating agent that has a similar affinity for iron, calcium disodium versenate (EDTA). These studies show that DFX inhibits the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatoblastoma cell lines regardless of the presence (PLC/PRF/5, Hep3B) or absence (Hep G2) of integrated hepatitis B virus DNA. The findings also suggest that the inhibition may have been due to mechanisms other than iron chelation.