Inhibition of mammalian cell division by glyoxals

Abstract

Methyl- and propylglyoxal completely inhibited cell division in cultured mammalian cells. This inhibition was reversed by approximately equimolar cysteine, in confirmation of the reports of Szent-Gyorgyi and his colleagues. Cell division stopped within 10–15 min after addition of the glyoxal compound. This fact, taken together with analysis of the cell cycle, with the kinetics of growth after release of glyoxal inhibition, and with the measurement of mitotic index before, during, and after release of glyoxal inhibition, indicated that glyoxal treatment did not lead to partially synchronous growth and division in these cells. Tracer experiments on the effect of glyoxals on incorporation of labeled precursors into DNA, RNA, or protein showed that of these processes only protein turnover was affected rapidly enough to be considered a possible cause for the inhibition of cell division.