[Effect of carminomycin on the structural integrity, primary susceptibility to radiation damage and the postradiation repair of the cellular DNA-membrane complex in Ehrlich's ascitic carcinoma].

It was found with the method of sedimentation analysis in sucrose alkaline gradients that carminomycin induced in vivo degradation of the DNA-membrane complex of the Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma cells (EAC). The concentration dependence of the complex damage correlated well with the data on the cell survival: the subtoxic concentration of the antibiotic according to these tests was 0.001 micrograms/ml. Combined effect of carminomycin in the subtoxic concentration and gamma-radiation on the cells did not result in any increase in the primary radiation damage to the DNA-membrane complex. Still, it inhibited its post-radiation reparation. This suggested that on the combined use of the above damaging agents the antibiotic significantly increased the effect of the ionizing radiation on the cells.