[Effect of the antitumor antibiotic actinoxanthine on cells cultured in vitro].

Significant changes in the nucleus structure, complete suppression of the mitotic activity, markedly decreased synthesis of RNA (by 70--80 per cent according to incorporation of 3H-uridine) and decreased levels of DNA (by 40 per cent according to olivomycin binding) were observed in the fibroblasts cultivated in vitro due to exposure to actinoxanthine in an amount of 50 microgram/ml. The data indicate direct damaging effect of the drug on the cell chromatin. The above nuclear changes were also observed after a short-term exposure of the cells to the drug (up to 5 minutes). Still, they became evident only after the subsequent incubation of the cells in a pure culture medium for at least 15 minutes. No such changes in the nucleus structure were detected when after the 5-minute exposure to actinoxanthine the cells were exposed to trypsin for 3 minutes. When the time of exposure to actinoxanthine was longer (15 minutes and higher), trypsin suppressed the manifestation of the above nuclear changes. The two-stage mechanism of the damaging effect of actinoxanthine on the chromatin of the cells cultivated in vitro is discussed. The damaging effect of actinoxanthine on the cells begins from binding of the drug with the cell membrane. After that a short incubation period follows and then the characteristic changes in the nucleus structure appear.