Studies on the cytotoxicity, mutagenicity and chromosomal aberration-inducing activity of aclacinomycin A in cultured mammalian cells.

The cytotoxicity mutagenicity and chromosomal aberration-inducing activity of aclacinomycin A were studied using cultured mammalian cells. Aclacinomycin A was found to be a potent inhibitor of RNA synthesis in HeLa S3 cells. The survival curve in the presence of aclacinomycin A exhibited a concentration- and time-dependent cytocidal effect, and showed a sigmoidal shoulder. A cytofluorometric study suggested that aclacinomycin A caused a temporary blockage of cell cycle progression. In mutation assay using V79 cells, aclacinomycin A was shown to induce 8-azaguanine-resistant mutation, being several times more mutagenic than adriamycin. The induction of chromosomal aberrations by aclacinomycin A was also demonstrated. When cells from various sources were treated with aclacinomycin A, they were affected at a similar concentration with the exception of human normal fibroblasts, which were a little less sensitive than the others.