EVALUATION OF DNA-REPAIR INHIBITION BY ANTITUMOR OR ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS USING A CHEMILUMINESCENCE MICROPLATE ASSAY

A recently derived in vitro chemiluminescence assay (Salles et al, [19 95] Anal, Biochem., 232, 37-42) has been used to investigate the effec ts of a panel of twenty-two anticancer drugs and certain antibiotics o n the excision repair activity of cell-free extracts from the human ce ll line, HeLa. This methodology, termed the 3D (Damaged DNA Detection) assay, based on the in vitro excision repair assay previously develop ed (Wood et al, [1988] Cell, 53, 97-106) has provided data indicating definite in vitro inhibition of DNA repair by actinomycin D, aphidicol in, doxorubicin, distamycin A and mithramycin A, This assay therefore offers the potential for identifying agents,vith the ability to inhibi t DNA repair.