Cordycepin reduces the sensitivity of BALB/Mo mouse lymphocytes to the induction of sister chromatid exchanges.
Lymphocytes from the spleen of BALB/Mo mice, which carry endogenous Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV), show in vitro frequencies of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) significantly higher than lymphocytes from control (M-MuLV free) BALB/c mice. In vitro treatment of lymphocytes with the antiviral antibiotic cordycepin (10 micrograms/ml) lowers the level of SCEs in BALB/Mo cells to the same value of BALB/c cells. M-MuLV yield is also markedly reduced in BALB/Mo lymphocytes cultured in the presence of cordycepin. The drug also abolishes the increased sensitivity of BALB/Mo lymphocytes to the induction of SCEs by mitomycin C (MMC) either in vitro (3 X 10(-8)/10(-7)M) or in vivo (0.3/3 mg/kg). Since cordycepin is known to inhibit poly(A)synthesis thus blocking RNA maturation, it is suggested that M-MuLV proviral integration is not per se the sole factor responsible for the more pronounced susceptibility of BALB/Mo lymphocytes to SCE induction, but most likely viral gene expression and amplification are needed for this effect to occur.
D000818:Animals; D003839:Deoxyadenosines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016685:Mitomycin; D008937:Mitomycins / Q000633:toxicity; D008979:Moloney murine leukemia virus / Q000187:drug effects*; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange / Q000187:drug effects*; D014775:Virus Activation / Q000187:drug effects
D003839:Deoxyadenosines; D008937:Mitomycins; D016685:Mitomycin