Effects of adriamycin on the reverse transcriptase and the production of murine leukemia virus.

Adriamycin inhibited the endogenous RNA-, poly (A)-d(T)12-, and calf thymus DNA-catalyzed reaction of reverse transcriptase from AKR mouse murine leukemia virus (AKR-MLV). This inhibition was found at the reaction levels of endogenous RNA-directed and subsequent DNA-directed DNA synthesis. Although adriamycin and actinomycin D significantly reduced the growth of AKR mouse cells (K3b), the treatment with adriamycin could bot inhibit the AKR-MLV production in these cells. Actinomycin D inhibited AKR-MLV production completely in the same experimental condition. In adriamycin-resistant K3b/Am cells, which were isolated by intermittent treatment of K3b cells with adriamycin, persistence of AKR-MLV was demonstrated. K3b/Am cells showed some altered characteristics such as reduced growth rate and tumorigenicity.