Intracellular, Intranuclear, and Subchromosomal Localization of Anthracycline Antibiotics

Although it is generally accepted that the anthracycline antibiotics exert their antineoplastic action by interacting directly with the genetic material through DNA binding, hence inhibiting such processes as DNA replication, transcription, and repair mechanisms, studies on their mode of interaction with nucleic acids have not provided satisfactory explanations for the differences observed in the therapeutic efficiency and spectrum of action of the various compounds; even new analogs and derivatives which display differing nuclear and DNA binding properties cannot have their characteristics reconciled with their cytotoxic activity (1–5).