Towards a further understanding of the growth-inhibiting action of oxygen deficiency. Evaluation of the effect of antimycin on proliferating Ehrlich ascites tumour cells.

The effect of 1 microM antimycin on the proliferative properties, metabolism and basic cell composition of Ehrlich ascites tumour cells cultured in the second in vitro passage was studied. Continuous drug exposure of asynchronous cells caused rapid cessation of cell growth, characterized by the cell number and DNA, RNA and protein content of cultures. Cells cease to consume oxygen and enhance their glycolytic activity. Uptake of labelled thymidine into acid-insoluble material was far below that of the controls, whereas incorporation of labelled uridine exceeded that of controls, as was also observed with other inhibitors of the respiratory chain (sodium cyanide, 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone, or anaerobiosis). The influence of antimycin on cells at different stages of the cell cycle was tested using cells enriched in either G1, S or G2 phase by centrifugal elutriation. DNA histograms (flow cytometry) and pulse-labelling index curves gave detailed insight into cell-cycle progression of antimycin-treated cells: G1 and early S cells remained stationary; G2 cells still passed from G2 into mitosis to remain subsequently in a non-growing state in G1; S cells were either slowed or halted. Supplementation of antimycin-containing cultures with exogenous pyrimidine nucleosides stimulated reprogression of G1 cells without changing their ATP content. The results of the current experiments are interpreted as supporting the concept that growth cessation of G1 cells under respiratory insufficiency is not predominantly caused by impairment of respiratory phosphorylation but may be the consequence of a lack of precursors for DNA and RNA synthesis.