Inhibition of DNA synthesis and cell cycle in Chinese hamster cells by sterol-binding polyene amphotericin B.

Amphotericin B, a sterol-binding polyene antibiotic, was found to inhibit DNA synthesis more than protein or RNA synthesis of asynchronous cultures of Chinese hamster V79 cells. DNA synthesis in the asynchronous V79 cells was inhibited to 40--60% of the control activity in the presence of 50 micrograms/ml amphotericin B. However, addition of 50 micrograms/ml of polyene immediately after to onset of DNA synthesis (early S phase) caused a drastic reduction of DNA synthesis (below 10--20% of the control in synchronized V79 cells, whereas the inhibition was much lessened when the polyene was added 1 h later (middle S phase). In contrast, there was no inhibition of DNA synthesis by amphotericin B in an amphotericin-B-resistant (AMBR) clone that was derived from V79. Flow microfluorometry analysis confirmed that a large number of asynchronous V79 cells were arrested in the G1 phase of the cell cycle when treated with lower dose of amphotericin B. A higher dose of the polyene antibiotic also accumulated cells at the G2 (or at both S and G2) phase as well as the G1 phase. Morphological studies by scanning electron microscope showed an increased number of V79 cells with decreased microvilli in V79 cells treated with amphotericin B.