The relationship between the turnover of UTP and RNA synthesis in cultured cells treated with aflatoxin B1

Feline sarcoma virus in vitro infection of human cells. Influence of chemical carcinogens on focus formation

Human fibroblast cells treated with benzo[alpha]pyrene (BP), aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) or N-acetoxy-2-fluorenylacetamide (A-AAF) inhibited Snyder-Theilen feline sarcoma virus (ST-FeSV) focus formation. Inhibition of focus formation resulting from chemical treatment was not related to cytotoxic concentrations of chemicals in that little or not effect on cells surviving treatment was observed. Maximum inhibition of focus formation occurred with BP when the cells were treated before infection. By contrast, maximum inhibition of focus formation occurred with A-AAF and AFB1 when the cells were treated after virus infection. Inhibition of focus formation by BP and AFB1 was eliminated when virus infected cells were treated 48-96 h post-infection. While no infectious virus was detected in either chemical treated or untreated ST-FeSV virus infected cultures, comparable levels of virus-directed RNA dependent DNA polymerase enzyme assay (RDDP) activity were found in both treated and untreated cultures. The data show that the inhibitory effect on focus formation is chemically mediated while the inhibition of virus synthesis is not.

Does dexamethasone inhibit the growth of human gliomas?

Dexamethasone (10-(4)M) was shown to inhibit the growth of human gliomas in culture. This was indicated by the inhibition of incorporation of radioactively labeled thymidine into the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of the cells, and by the increase in the generation time of cells exposed to the drug in vitro. On the other hand, tumors obtained from patients who had received dexamethasone before craniotomy grew considerably faster in vitro than tumors from patients who had not been given the drug before operation.

Aflatoxin B1, a selective inhibitor of DNA synthesis in mammalian cells

Aflatoxin B1 in concentrations between 0.01 and 0.1 microgram/ml inhibits DNA synthesis in African green monkey cells in culture, but has little effect on RNA synthesis and no effect on protein synthesis. The drug even at concentrations up to 1.0 microgram/ml does not interfere with DNA repair promoted by ultraviolet irradiation nor does it induce DNA repair. The inhibition of DNA synthesis attains maximum values 3 h after addition of aflatoxin B1 and is irreversible upon removal of the drug. Profiles of pulselabeled DNA sedimented in alkaline sucrose gradients indicate that aflatoxin B1 blocks initiation of replication rather than elongation.

The synthesis of polyadenylated RNA and other RNA species in synchronised CHK cells

Chinese hamster kidney cells have been synchronised by the double thymidine block technique. The rate of incorporation of [5-3H]uridine into the polyadenylated RNA fraction has been analysed throughout two complete cell cycles and compared with the rate of incorporation into other RNA species and the UTP pool. In contrast with other reports, we have found that synthesis of 18 S rRNA continues steadily throughout the cell cycle, as does synthesis of 5 S RNA and tRNA. In the case of the polyadenylated RNA, however, our data indicate a major peak of synthesis during S phase and a smaller peak coinciding with G1.