Absence of specificity in inhibition of DNA repair replication by DNA-binding agents, cocarcinogens, and steroids in human cells.

Although many chemicals, including cocarcinogens, DNA-binding agents, and steroids, inhibit repair replication of ultraviolet-induced damage to DNA in human lymphocytes and proliferating cells in culture, none of these chemicals is specific. Our results show that all the chemicals than they inhibit repair replication. There is thus no cocarcinogens are specific inhibitors of DNA repair or that any of the chemicals studied might be useful adjuncts to tumor therapy merely because of specific inhibition of radiation repair mechanisms.