Effects of substituted 2-nitroimidazoles and related compounds on unscheduled DNA synthesis in rat hepatocytes and in non-transformed (BL8) and transformed (JB1) rat liver epithelial derived cell lines

Induction of mutations in V79-4 mammalian cells under hypoxic and aerobic conditions by the cytotoxic 2-nitroimidazole-aziridines, RSU-1069 and RSU-1131. The influence of cellular glutathione

Incubation of the 2-nitroimidazole-aziridine, RSU-1069 [1-(2-nitro-1-imidazolyl)-3-(1-aziridinyl)-2-propanol], and its monomethylaziridine analogue, RSU-1131 [1-(2-nitro-1-imidazolyl)-3-(1-(2-methylaziridinyl))-2-propanol], with V79-4 mammalian cells for 2 hr under aerobic or hypoxic conditions induces mutations as measured at the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase locus. The ability of these agents to induce mutations is increased by a factor of 12-14 under hypoxic conditions. The increased cytotoxicity of these agents under hypoxic conditions was confirmed following a 2 hr incubation period. Decreasing the glutathione (GSH) content of the cells with buthionine-(S,R)-sulphoximine to < 1% of the control generally results in an increase in the cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of these agents under both aerobic and hypoxic conditions. Since these agents do not modify the cellular GSH levels, it is inferred that the thiols partially detoxify through removal of a reactive metabolite of the agents, under hypoxic conditions, or removal of known DNA adducts, and not through their interaction with the agents themselves. Under aerobic conditions, the formation of mutations is consistent with the established monofunctional action of these agents whereas under hypoxic conditions the bifunctional action predominates for mutation induction, based upon the large differential aerobic:hypoxic effect. From a comparison of the number of mutations per lethal event, the effect of thiol depletion is more pronounced for cytotoxicity than for mutation induction by these agents. In summary, these agents are considered to be weak mutagens towards V79-4 cells under aerobic conditions when compared with other DNA alkylating agents, although they are more potent under anoxic conditions.

Drug metabolizing enzyme activities in rat liver epithelial cell lines, hepatocytes and bile duct cells

P450-dependent mono-oxygenase and conjugating enzyme activities were studied in rat liver epithelial cells (RLEs) and compared to those in hepatocytes and bile duct cells. Various RLE cell lines were investigated since (a) they are suspected to be derived from cells in the lineage from putative pluripotent stem cells to either hepatocytes or bile duct cells, and (b) they may represent targets of chemical carcinogens. Despite considerable variation between lines, common features were recognized. P450-dependent monooxygenase activities (7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase) were undetectable in all RLEs and bile duct cells, and were uninducible by benz(a)anthracene. In contrast, glucuronosyltransferase (GT), sulfotransferase and GSH transferase activities were clearly detectable. Conjugating enzyme activities increased until confluency of the cell cultures was reached. Under the latter conditions, GT activities towards 4-methylumbelliferone or benzo(a)pyrene-3,6-quinol (substrates of a 3-methylcholanthrene-inducible phenol GT) were similar to those found in hepatocytes or bile duct cells. Using a selective cDNA probe, phenol GT mRNA was clearly detectable in RLE1. In contrast, GT activity towards 4-hydroxybiphenyl was much lower than in hepatocytes or bile duct cells (0.04- and 0.03-fold). Sulfotransferase and GSH transferase activities were also roughly comparable to those found in hepatocytes and in bile duct cells. The results suggest that RLEs and bile duct cells exhibit both high conjugating enzyme activities and a lack of P450-dependent mono-oxygenase activities, a pattern resembling the 'toxin-resistance phenotype' found in putative preneoplastic hepatocyte foci and nodules.

Enhancement of DNA damage in mammalian cells upon bioreduction of the nitroimidazole-aziridines RSU-1069 and RSU-1131

The induction of DNA double-(dsb) and single-(ssb) strand breaks by RSU-1069, RSU-1131 and misonidazole in V79 mammalian cells has been investigated using sedimentation in isokinetic sucrose gradients after incubation for various times (1-3 hr) at 310 K under both hypoxic and aerobic conditions. Double strand breaks are produced by RSU-1069 and RSU-1131 predominantly under hypoxic conditions. Comparison of the cellular DNA damage induced by these agents leads to the following facts: (1) the yield of ssb induced by these agents is substantially increased under hypoxia, (2) RSU-1069 and RSU-1131 are much more effective than misonidazole, on a concentration basis, at causing strand breakage both under hypoxic and aerobic conditions; and (3) RSU-1069 is more efficient on a concentration basis than RSU-1131 at inducing both ssb and dsb under both conditions. From these findings and molecular studies it is suggested that these 2-nitroimidazole aziridines act as monofunctional alkylating agents under aerobic conditions, a factor that governs their aerobic cytotoxicity. Under hypoxic conditions, it is suggested that the induction of dsb and crosslinks by these agents (bifunctional character) may play a major role in determining the ability of such agents to act as hypoxia-selective cytotoxins.