The pathways which are activated following damage to nuclear DNA in cancer cells are well understood. There is evidence that treatment with several chemotherapeutic agents may result in damage to mitochondrial DNA. This study investigated the contribution of mitochondrial DNA to cytotoxicity of DNA-interactive agents. To understand the significance of drug interactions with mitochondrial DNA, we investigated A549 non-small cell lung cancer cell lines and their ρ0 derivatives in which mitochondrial DNA has been eradicated. The parental cell line showed increased sensitivity to the anthracycline daunorubicin when compared with the A549 ρ0 line. In addition, the A549 ρ0 line was resistant to the rhodacyanine derivative, MKT-077, which has been shown to interact with mitochondrial DNA. Southern blotting demonstrated that MKT-077 mediated damage to mitochondrial but not nuclear DNA. Restoration of mitochondrial DNA by formation of cybrids restored sensitivity to these agents. The mitochondrial DNA damage, following treatment of A549 ρ0 cells with MKT-077, resulted in G2 arrest which was not mediated by expression of p53. Mitochondrial DNA is a critical target for MKT-077 and daunorubicin, and is a potential target for novel chemotherapeutic agents.

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