Inhibition of mammalian microsomal protein synthesis by aminoglycoside antibiotics.

The aminoglycoside antibiotics gentamicin, kanamycin and netilmicin produce a dose-dependent inhibition of amino acid incorporation in microsomes isolated from human liver and rat brain, kidney and liver. Inhibitory effects on microsomal protein synthesis occur at concentrations that have been shown to accumulate in rodent and human renal cortex and perilymph following therapeutic administration. Inhibition of translation in those tissues which specifically accumulate aminoglycoside antibiotics may, in part, explain toxicities observed following exposure to aminoglycosides.