EFFECTS OF ADRIAMYCIN ON DNA-SYNTHESIS IN MOUSE AND RAT-HEART

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 38  (10) , 3286-3292
Abstract
Adriamycin induces an inhibition of DNA synthesis in mouse tissues within 1 h after treatment. While the effects are short-lived in liver and small intestine, DNA synthesis in heart remains below control values for up to 7 days. After this period DNA synthesis in hearts of treated mice is elevated and remains above control values for as long as 4 wk. Both 1-.beta.-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine [ara-C] and actinomycin D also induce inhibition of cardiac DNA synthesis soon after treatment; the effects of ara-C are over by the end of 24 h while the effects of actinomycin D persist for at least 4 days. Actinomycin D treatment also induces an overshoot of DNA synthesis in mouse heart. Adriamycin can induce a loss of prelabeled DNA from heart, although no pathological alterations are immediately obvious. The small intestine shows extensive karyorrhexis. The initial effects on cardiac DNA synthesis occur in adrenalectomized animals, indicating that the effects are not mediated via the adrenal gland. DNA synthesis in heart was sensitive to the effects of starvation. Inhibition of mouse heart DNA synthesis is not specific for adriamycin and the effects of adriamycin in heart following a single treatment are long-lived.