Inhibitory effects of anthracyclines on bacterial collagenase were examined. Daunomycin, doxorubicin, and aclarubicin potently inhibited the collagenase, but mitomycin C and 5-fluorouracil did not inhibitit. Inhibitory activities of anthracyclines were constant regardless of the concentrations of Ca2+, activator of collagenase, or of Zn2+, active center of collagenase. These results suggest that the inhibitory mechanisms of anthracyclines were independent of a chelate effect on Ca2+ or Zn2+.
