INHIBITION OF IN-VITRO TRANSLATION BY CISPLATIN

While cisplatin [cis-diamminedichloroplatinwn (II) J has become one of the most widely used and effective anti-cancer agents, mechanislns of its action and toxicity are as yet obscure. Studies have primarily focused on the binding of drug to DNA. Cisplatin-DNA complexes have been characterized and shown to have diminished activity as replication templates. In addition to inhibiting DNA replication, cisplatin , both in-vivo and in cultured cells, decrea ses both RNA and prote in synthesis. Although the pharmacokinetics of these effects make it appear unlikely that they are a direct consequence of an inhibition of DNA synthesis, the interrelatedness of these processes makes evaluation of the effects on the individual steps difficult.