ADRIAMYCIN INDUCES APOPTOSIS IN RAT THYMOCYTES

Apoptosis is a controlled form of cell death accompanied by distinct m orphological and biochemical changes. In this study the nature of cyto toxicity induced by adriamycin (ADM) in rat thymocytes was evaluated. Morphological and biochemical changes characteristic of apoptosis were found to precede adriamycin-induced cell death. Our findings demonstr ate the involvement of c-Myc, c-Jun, antioxidant enzymes CuZn superoxi de dismutase and catalase, and perhaps poly ADP ribosylation in ADM-in duced cell death. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.