We have recently demonstrated that cell lines deficient in poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis due to deficiency in the enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PADPRP) or depletion of its substrate NAD+ overexpress GRP78. Furthermore, this overexpression of GRP78 is associated with the acquisition of resistance to topoisomerase II-directed drugs such as etoposide (VP-16); (S. Chatterjee et al., Cancer Res., 54: 4405-4411, 1994). Thus, our studies suggest that interference with NAD+-PADPRP metabolism could provide an important approach to (a) define pathways of GRP78 induction, (b) study the effect of GRP78 on other cellular processes, (c) elucidate the mechanism of GRP78-dependent resistance to topoisomerase II targeted drugs, and (d) modulate responses to chemotherapy in normal and tumor tissues. However, in the in vivo situation, it is impractical to interfere with NAD+-PADPRP metabolism by mutational inactivation of PADPRP or by depletion of its substrate NAD+. Therefore, we have examined several inhibitors of NAD+-PADPRP metabolism including 3-aminobenzamide, PD128763, and 6-aminonicotinamide for their ability to reproduce the results obtained with cell lines deficient in NAD+-PADPRP metabolism relative to the induction of GRP78 and subsequent development of resistance to VP-16. Our studies show that 6-aminoicotinamide treatment is highly effective in the induction of GRP78 and subsequent development of resistance to VP-16, whereas treatment with 3-aminobenzamide or PD128763 does not induce GRP78 and thus does not result in VP-16 resistance.