Identification of the molecular basis of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity

Doxorubicin, which induces tumor cell death through effects on topoisomerase-II, is a commonly used chemotherapeutic agent but has the substantial drawback of causing cardiotoxicity. Edward T.H.Yeh and his colleagues now show that doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in mice is due to the deleterious effects of doxorubicin on topoisomerase-IIβ in cardiomyocytes, leading to alterations in gene expression, mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death.