Nucleophosmin/B23 is a nucleolar phosphoprotein which redistributes from nucleoli to nucleoplasm (B23-translocation) when cells are exposed to certain anticancer drugs, particularly intercalators. The B23-translocation assay has been demonstrated in cell culture to correlate with drug effects and to detect drug-resistant cells. We now report the effect of actinomycin D on B23-trans-location in P388D1 cells implanted in DBA/2 mice. B23-translocation was observed in cells after actinomycin D treatment in a dosage- and time-dependent manner. Translocation could be observed within 30 min after drug treatment. Complete B23-translocation with at least 1-day duration was achieved by a single injection of 0.25 mg/kg. Reduced dosages produced partial B23-trans-location with shorter durations. These results indicate that B23-translocation may be useful in monitoring drug effects in animals.