The effect of amphotericin B-deoxycholate on proliferation and protein synthesis in human skin fibroblast cultures

Cultures of adult human skin fibroblasts were grown in the presence of the recommended antifungal dose (3 microgram per ml) of amphotericin B-deoxycholate. A reduction in cell culture growth, measured as DNA content and protein content per culture, was observed. However, radioisotope incorporation into noncollagen protein and, to a lesser extent, collagen protein was enhanced. These effects were due to amphotericin B, not to deoxycholate. These observations were made under several growth conditions and indicate that cell proliferation or isotope-labeling studies in fibroblasts in the presence of amphotericin B-deoxycholate are susceptible to errors in interpretation.