The intracellular levels of poly(ADP-ribose) in cultured mouse cells were increased in response to hyperthermic treatment (43 degrees C). When hyperthermia was combined with other stressful treatments such as with ethanol and/or an alkylating agent, a dramatic synergistic increase in polymer levels was observed. The effect of hyperthermia did not appear to be related to the presence of DNA strand breaks. A possible involvement of poly(ADP-ribose) metabolism in the general cellular response to environmental stress is suggested.
