Selective alterations in rat cardiac mRNA induced by doxorubicin: possible subcellular mechanisms.

Doxorubicin (Adriamycin, ADR) is an effective antineoplastic agent with a major side effect of dilated cardiomyopathy. Previously we showed ADR selectively decreased alpha cardiac (alpha c) actin mRNA in the rat heart when compared to other mRNAs examined in heart and skeletal muscle. The present study determined if this effect was selective for mRNAs within the thin filament, related to inhibitory effects on mitochondrial transcription, and modified by pretreatment with the cardioprotective chelating agent ICRF-187. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats received ADR at 8 mg/kg intraperitoneally (ip) with or without pretreatment with ICRF-187 given at 80 mg/kg ip. After 3 days, rats were killed and myocardial RNA was extracted, electrophoresed, transferred to nitrocellulose, and hybridized with the [32]cDNA probes alpha c actin, troponin C (TnC), BamHI fragment of mouse mitochondria (MM), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PD). Results showed a major depressive effect of ADR on rat myocardial alpha c actin mRNA. No depression of the other mRNAs examined (TnC, MM, or G3PD) was seen. ICRF-187 did not modify the effect. We conclude that the ADR-induced decrease in alpha c actin mRNA was: (1) selective within the thin filament; (2) not related to inhibitory effects on mitochondrial transcription; and (3) not related to free radical formation. Possible subcellular mechanisms are discussed.