Actinomycin D: inhibition of respiration and glycolysis.

Actinomycin D inhibited respiration and anaerobic glycolysis of human leukemic leukocytes and lowered the adenosine triphosphate content of the cells. Inhibitory effects on respiration and on RNA synthesis could not be dissociated from one another over a wide range of drug concentrations. Actinomycin D also impaired protein synthesis, probably by decreasing the availability of adenosine triphosphate and by inhibiting messenger RNA.