Cardiotoxic effects of adriamycin in mammalian cardiac cells in culture.

Abstract

Cardiotoxicity of unknown etiology may preclude the use of adriamycin, a cancer chemotherapeutic agent. Mammalian cardiac cells in culture were used as a model system in the study of the mechanisms involved. Adriamycin inhibited cell growth, particularly of the fast-dividing nonmuscle cells. This inhibition might be a contributory factor to cardiomyopathy, but it does not explain the cessation of the rhythmic contractions characteristic of myocardial cells in culture. The concentrations of ATP and phosphorylcreatine (PC) were decreased in the adriamycin-treated cells, but the addition of creatine resulted in a several-fold increase of PC. Therefore, the regulation of energy production and the potential to maintain a high, steady-state concentration of PC were not impaired.