Metallothionein (MT) induction, particularly by bismuth, is proposed to protect against toxic side effects of chemotherapy drugs such as adriamycin. In contrast, transgenic mice, which overexpressed cardiac MT, and also had moderately high heart glutathione concentrations, were not resistant to adriamycin-induced cardiotoxicity. Cardiotoxicity was assessed by survival, fluid accumulation and lipid peroxidation. Thus, higher than normal heart MT concentrations do not necessarily protect against adriamycin cardiotoxicity.