Effects of adriamycin on the macromolecular synthesis in rat myocardiocytes and KB cells.

Effects of adriamycin on cardiomyocytes and KB cells have been examined. Adriamycin inhibited DNA and RNA synthesis in both rat myocardial cells and KB cells. Protein synthesis was also inhibited but at a much higher dosage. In myocardiocytes, protein synthesis was dose-dependent with inhibition being almost complete at 100 microM. In contrast, inhibition of protein synthesis in KB cells leveled off at 50%.