Cerium depresses protein synthesis in cultured cardiac myocytes and lung fibroblasts.

The present study examined the effect of Cerium on protein synthesis in cultured cardiac myocytes and lung fibroblasts exposed to normal and markedly subnormal levels of Mg2+. Cerium was found to have a general inhibitory effect on protein synthesis in these cell types, including the synthesis of myofibrillar proteins in the cardiac myocytes. Further, the effect of the metal ion was more pronounced in cells exposed to the Mg2(+)-deficient medium. The possible implications of the observations are discussed.