Cerium depresses protein synthesis in cultured cardiac myocytes and lung fibroblasts

The present study examined the effect of Cerium on protein synthesis in cultured cardiac myocytes and lung fibroblasts exposed to normal and markedly subnormal levels of Mg²⁺. Cerium was found to have a general inhibitory effect on protein synthesis in these cell types, including the synthesis of myofibrillar proteins in the cardiac myocytes. Further, the effect of the metal ion was more pronounced in cells exposed to the Mg²⁺-deficient medium. The possible implications of the observations are discussed.