Deacylation of carcinogenic 5-nitrofuran derivatives by mammalian tissues

The deacylations of N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl] fonnamide (FANFT), N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl] acetarnide (NFTA) and formic acid 2-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl] hydrazide (FNT) by liver, kidney, small intestines and stomach of mouse, rat, hamster and guinea pig were investigated. FANFT was deformylated to 2-amino-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)thiazole (ANFT). FANFT formamidase activity was higher in the liver and small intestines of mouse, hamster and guinea pig, and small intestines and stomach of rat. There was no detectable FANFT formamidase activity in the stomach of the mouse and hamster. Neither NFTA nor FNT was deacylated by the rodent tissue homogenates studied. It is suggested that (1)4 ANFT is a metabolite of FANFT but not NFTA; (2) 2-hydrazino-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)thiazole (HNFT) may not be a metabolite of FNT; and (3) the induction of tumors by FANFT, NFTA and FNT may not be due to a common carcinogenic metabolite, although these chemicals demonstrate similar organ specificities in some of these rodents.     

Isolation and identification of urinary metabolites of AF-2 (3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-(2-furyl)acrylamide) in rabbits

After oral administration of AF-2 (3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-(2-furyl)acrylamide) to rabbits, the two unique metabolites, M-I and M-II, were isolated from the urine. M-I, yellow needles of mp 117°, was identified as a new type metabolite of nitrofuran derivative, 2-(β-carboxypropionyl)-3-(5-methylthio-2-furyl) acrylamide by its mass, ir and nmr spectrometries. M-II, yellow solid, appears to be cis-trans isomer of M-I considering from its uv and mass spectral data, and the behavior on tlc.     

Cis-trans isomerization of nitrofuran derivatives by xanthine oxidase

Enzymatic cis-trans isomerization of nitrofuran derivatives was 3-(5-Nitro-2-furyl)-2-(2-furyl)-demonstrated with milk xanthine oxidase. acrylamide (AF-2) and 3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-(5-bromo-2-furyl)acrylamide (NFBFA) were mainly converted from the cis to the trans form by this enzyme supplemented with an electron donor. This enzymatic reaction was further characterized with respect to its cofactor requirements. Finally, a new cis-trans isomerization mechanism, which is based on transfer of a single electron by a nitroreductase such as xanthine oxidase to a nitrofuran derivative to give the anion free radical, was proposed.     

Mutagenicity of urine of various species fed N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide or 2-amino-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)thiazole

Rats, mice and hamsters, which are susceptible to the bladder carcinogenesis by N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide (FANFT), and guinea pigs, which are not, were fed a diet containing 0.188% FANFT or 0.188% 2-amino-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)thiazole (ANFT) for 1 week and their urine was then examined for mutagenicity for S. typhimurium TA100. The mutagenicities of the urine of these species fed FANFT were approximately equal. Similarly, that of the urine of these species fed ANFT were also approximately equal. However, the urine from FANFT-fed animals was approximately 10 times as mutagenic as that from ANFT-fed animals. ANFT was detected only in the urine of rats, mice or hamsters fed FANFT. A positive correlation between the susceptibility toward bladder carcinogenesis by FANFT and urinary ANFT excretion was demonstrated, although the correlation between this susceptibility and urine mutagenicity was lacking.     

The application of mitotic gene conversion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a pattern of four assays, in vitro and in vivo, for mutagenicity testing.

The induction of mitotic gene conversion of the nitrofuran derivatives nitrofurantoin (N-(5-nitro-2-furfuryliden)-1-aminohydantoin), nifurprazinum (1-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-(6-amino-3-pyridazyl)-ethylenehydrochloride) and FANFT (2-formylamino-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)thiazole) was investigated in the D4-RDII strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (heteroallelic at the gene loci ade2 and trp5, respiration-deficient). A battery of tests was applied: direct action of the substance to yeasts, the liver microsome test in vitro, the host-mediated assay and the urinary assay. From the various combinations of positive and negative results, additional pharmacokinetic conclusions were drawn. The three nitrofuran derivatives gave positive results by direct action and in the urine of rats. The additon of liver microsomes of mice in the test in vitro reduced the number of induced convertants. In the first hours, a great deal of nitrofurantoin given orally to rats was excreted in the urine, as shown by a high genetic activity. Nifurprazinum and FANFT were excreted to a lesser extent or more slowly. Addition of glucuronidase/arylsulfatase reduced the genetic activity in the urine in the case of nitrofurantoin, had an increasing effect with nifurprazinum and was without any effect in the case of FANFT. In the host-mediated assay, only nitrofurantoin gave positive results. These results seem to be a consequence of the quick but different excretion of the nitrofuran derivatives.     

Mutagenicity of nitrofurans in Salmonella typhimurium TA98, TA98NR and TA98/1,8-DNP6

8 representative 2-substituted 5-nitrofurans were assayed for mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA98NR and TA98/1,8-DNP6. The tested compounds were: 5-nitro-2-furanacrylic N-(5-nitro-2-furfurylidene)hydrazide (1); furazolidone (2); 5-nitro-2-furanacrolein (3); 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde semicarbazone (4); 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde (5); nitrofurantoin (6); 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde diacetate (7); and 5-nitro-2-furoic acid (8). These compounds exhibited markedly different mutagenic activities in TA98, and these mutagenicities were similar both in the presence and the absence of rat-liver hepatic S9 activation enzymes. The mutagenic responses ranged from potent (90-300 revertants/nmole, compounds 1-3), to medium (about 10 revertants/nmole, compounds 4 and 6), to weak (0-4 revertants/nmole, compounds 5, 7 and 8). The mutagenicity of 3 was similar in all 3 tester strains, while compound 8 was essentially inactive. The mutagenicities of 1, 4, 5 and 7 were decreased 30-75% in TA98NR, while 2 and 6 showed an even greater depression of activity in this strain. Compound 6 with S9 was about equally mutagenic in TA98 and TA98/1,8-DNP6, while the activities of 6 without S9 and 2 and 7 both with and without S9 were 50-75% lower in TA98/1,8-DNP6. Compounds 1, 4 and 5 were only about 5-10% as mutagenic in TA98/1,8-DNP6 as in TA98. These results suggest that: (i) nitrofurans and their S9-mediated metabolites have similar mutagenic potencies; (ii) with the possible exception of No. 3, nitroreduction is the major route of mutagenic activation for these nitrofurans; and (iii) for compounds 2, 6 and 7, both the presumed N-hydroxy and N,O-ester derivatives of the corresponding aminofuran metabolites appear to lead to mutations.     

Study on mutagenicity and antimutagenicity of BHT and its derivatives in a bacterial assay

The mutagenicity of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and its derivatives was investigated by the Ames method using Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 with or without S9 mix. The compounds were not mutagenic in either indicator strain at concentrations ranging from 50 to 330 micrograms/plate (SQ: 3,5,3',5'-tetra-tert-butylstilbenequinone; VI-III: unidentified), 500 micrograms/plate (BE: 3,5,3',5'-tetra-tert-4,4'-dihydroxy-1,2-diphenylethylene; VI: 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methyl-4-tert-butylperoxy-2,5-cyclohexadienone ; VI-I: unidentified; VI-II: 3-acetyl-2,5-di-tert-cyclopenta-2,4-dienone) and 1000 micrograms/plate (BHT). The antimutagenic effects of BHT and its derivatives on mutagenesis by chemical agents were investigated in Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 and Escherichia coli WP-2 hcr-. VI-II suppressed the mutagenesis induced in TA98 and TA100 by 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl) acrylamide (AF-2) and that induced in WP-2 hcr- by 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO) without decreasing cell viability. In WP-2 hcr-, the mutagenesis induced by AF-2 and ethyl methanesulfonate was also suppressed significantly. Mutations induced by methyl methanesulfonate were slightly inhibited. However, VI-II had no effect on the mutagenesis induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine.     

The action of AF 2 on cultured hamster and human cells under aerobic and hypoxic conditions

AF 2 (2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-furyl)acrylamide) was toxic to Chinese hamster V 79 cells and normal human fibroblasts in aerobic media. However, the toxicity of the drug was increased many times by hypoxia. Similarly, the frequency of AF 2-induced azaguanine- and ouabain-resistant mutants of V 79 cells was much higher in hypoxia than under aerobic conditions. Both hamster V 79 cells and human fibroblasts metabolized AF 2 and other nitrofurans rapidly only under hypoxic conditions. Human fibroblasts were more sensitive to AF 2 both under aerobic conditions and in hypoxia than were V 79 cells under similar conditions. The Chinese hamster cells consistently gave survival curves with marked shoulders while human cells did not. Aerobic cultures of fibroblasts derived from xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) patients were markedly sensitive to AF 2 while fibroblasts from two ataxia telangeictasia patients had normal sensitivity. Under hypoxic conditions the sensitivity of both types of cells was increased but the XP line remained 5--10-fold more sensitive than normal or ataxia cells. These results suggest that the DNA lesions produced by AF 2 may be regarded as similar to those produced by ultraviolet light, at least in terms of their repairability in human cells.     

Mutagenesis in cultured human diploid cells. III. Induction of 8-azaguanine-resistant mutations by furylfuramide.

Trans-2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl) acrylamide (furylfuramide: FF or AF2) was tested for ability to induce 8-azaguanine (8AG) resistant mutations in cultured human diploid cells. FF had a relatively severe cytotoxic effect on the cells. From the concentration-survival curve, the D0 value for 2-h treatment with FF was estimated to be 11 mug/ml. When cells were treated with FF at various concentrations for 2 h, cultured in normal medium for 48 h, and then selected in medium containing 8AG at 30 mug/ml, the induced mutation frequency increased gradually with increase in concentration of FF. When cells were treated with FF at 10 mug/ml for 2 h, cultured in normal medium for various periods of mutation expression time, and selected with 8AG at 30 mug/ml, the highest induced mutation frequency was obtained with 48 h of mutation expression time. Microscopic examination of the numbers of cells in colonies indicated that the total number of cells increased by half during this mutation expression time of 48 h.     

The mutagenic activity of 61 agents as determined by the micronucleus, Salmonella, and sperm abnormality assays.

A comparison of two rapid and inexpensive in vivo mammalian assays and the Ames Salmonella assay is presented for 61 agents; Acetylsalicylic acid; Acriflavine; Actinomycin D; 2(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)acrylamide (AF-2); Aflatoxin B1; 2-aminofluorene; Aminopterin; Aroclor 1254; Ascorbic acid; Azathioprine; Benzo(a)pyrene; 5-Bromo-2'-deoxyuridine; Busulphan, Butylated hydroxytoluene; Cadmium chloride; Caffeine; Calcium cyclamate; Chloral hydrate; Chloromycetin succinate; Codeine phosphate, Colchicine; Cycloheximide; Cyclophosphamide; DDT; 2,4-Diaminoanisole; Dibutylnitrosamine; 9, 10 Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene; 1,1-Dimethylhydrazine; Dimethylnitrosamine; Epinephrine; Ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS); 2-formylamino-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)thiazole (FANFT); 2-(2-formylhydrazino)-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)thiazole (FNT); Glucose, Griseofulvin; Hycanthone methane sulphonate; Hydroxyurea; 5-Iodo-2'-deoxyuridine; Lead acetate; Mechlorethamine; 3-Methylcholanthrene; Methyl mercury acetate; Methyl methane sulfonate (MMS); N-methyl-N-nitro-N'-nitrosoguanidine; Mitomycin C; Monosodium glutamate; 1-Naphthalamine; 2-Naphthalamine; Nitrofurazone; 4-Nitro-O-phenylene diamine; 4-Nitro-quinoline-1-oxide (4-NQO); Phenobarbitone; Procarbazine; Quinacrine dihydrochloride; Radiation (gamma-rays); Sodium chloride; Triethylene thiophosphoramide; Trimethyl phosphate; Tris(2-methyl-1-arizidinyl) phosphine oxide; Urethan; Vinblastine. The results support the concept of multiple assays for mutagenicity and show that some combinations of assays are superior to others.     

Macerating Activity of endo-Polygalacturonase Produced by Saccharomyces fragilis

The effect was examined of aqueous dialyzates from 16 kinds of vegetables and fruits on the mutagenicity of some mutagens toward Salmonella typhimurium TA 100. Each dialyzate inhibited the mutagenicity of Trp-P-2, and the antimutagenicity was retained even after heating at 100°C for 20 min. Dialyzates of burdock, eggplant, spinach and apple also inhibited the mutagenicity of Trp-P-l, benzo[a]pyrene, sterigmatocystin, aflatoxin Bl, 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-acrylamide and N-methyl-N′-nitroso-N-nitrosoguanidine. The dialyzates of apple reacted with S9 mix and Trp-P-2. A Sepharose CL 6B gel filtration study of the dialyzates of apple indicated that the antimutagenic activity of these dialyzates on Trp-P-2 and AF-2 was mainly detectable in the polyphenol-rich fractions.     

Effect of Nitrofurans on the Chloroplast System of Euglena gracilis

SYNOPSIS. Twelve derivatives of 5-nitrofuran were tested on Euglena grarzlis . All rendered the organism permanently apoplastidic and, at somewhat higher concentrations, killed. The furan analogues of 3 of these compounds had no effect on the chloroplast system and were less toxic than the nitrcfurans. Low concentrations of nitrofurantoin and nitroiuraldehyde inhibited formation of chlorophyll when etiolated cells irere illuminated.
Exposure of euglena to low concentrations of these agents for about 2 generation times. followed by plating on drug-free mediurn. resulted in a high proportion of bleached colonies. It is theretore concluded that the nitrofurans induce apotplastidy by causing permanent damage to the chloroplast system rather than by inhibiting its replication temporarily. Since one of the nitrofurans which was found to bleach euglena, NFT–3-amino-6[-2-(5-nitro-2-furyl) vinyl]-1,2,4-triazine–is known to cause specific inhibition of DNA synthesis in bacteria, nitrofurans may perhaps bleach euglena through selective damage to chloroplast-DNA or to the DNA-synthesizing system of the chloroplast.     

5-Nitro-2-furoic acid hydrazones: Design,synthesis and in vitro antimycobacterial evaluation against log and starved phase cultures

Various 5-nitro-2-furoic acid hydrazones were synthesized and evaluated for in vitro activities against log and starved phase culture of two mycobacterial species and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) isocitrate lyase (ICL) enzyme inhibition studies. Among twenty one compounds, 5-nitro-N′-[(5-nitro-2-furyl)methylidene]-2-furohydrazide (4o) was found to be the most active compound in vitro with MICs of 2.65 and 10.64 μM against log- and starved-phase culture of MTB. Compound 4o also showed good enzyme inhibition of MTB ICL at 10 μM. The docking studies also confirmed the binding potential of the compounds at the ICL active site.     

No detectable reaction of the anion radical metabolite of nitrofurans with reduced glutathione or macro-molecules

The initial metabolite formed by most mammalian nitroreductases is the nitro anion free radical. We, as well as others, have proposed that nitroheterocyclic anion radicals covalently bind to protein, DNA, or thiol compounds such as reduced glutathione (GSH). Our results indicate that even at 100 mM GSH does not affect the steady-state concentration of the nitro anion free radical of N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]acetamide (NFTA) in rat hepatic microsomal or xanthine oxidase incubations. The steady-state ESR amplitude of the anion radical is also unchanged by the addition of BSA or DNA. Similar results are obtained with nitrofurazone and nitrofurantoin. The reactive chemical species which binds to tissue macromolecules and GSH upon the reduction of nitrofurans remains unknown, but the anion free radical metabolite can be excluded from consideration.     

A 50 Hz, 14 mT magnetic field is not mutagenic or co-mutagenic in bacterial mutation assays

We used bacterial mutation assays to assess the mutagenic and co-mutagenic effects of power frequency magnetic fields (MF). For the former, we exposed four strains of Salmonella typhimurium (TA98, TA100, TA1535, TA1537) and two strains of Escherichia coli (WP2 uvrA, WP2 uvrA/pKM101) to 50Hz, 14mT circularly polarized MF for 48h. All results were negative. For the latter, we treated S. typhimurium (TA98, TA100) and E. coli (WP2 uvrA, WP2 uvrA/pKM101) cells with eight model mutagens (N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl) acrylamide, 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide, 2-aminoanthracene, N(4)-aminocytidine, t-butyl hydroperoxide, cumen hydroperoxide, and acridine orange) with and without the MF. The MF induced no significant, reproducible enhancement of mutagenicity. We also investigated the effect of MF on mutagenicity and co-mutagenicity of fluorescent light (ca. 900lx for 30min) with and without acridine orange on the most sensitive tester strain, E. coli WP2 uvrA/pKM101. Again, we observed no significant difference between the mutation rates induced with and without MF. Thus, a 50Hz, 14mT circularly polarized MF had no detectable mutagenic or co-mutagenic potential in bacterial tester strains under our experimental conditions. Nevertheless, some evidence supporting a mutagenic effect for power frequency MFs does exist; we discuss the potential mechanisms of such an effect in light of the present study and studies done by others.     

Mutagenic effect of orally given AF-2 on embryonic cells in pregnant Syrian hamsters

Pregnant hamsters were given various doses of AF-2 by stomach tube; then the cells of their embryos were isolated and cultured in normal medium. Chromosome preparations were made within 24 h after the start of primary culture, and examined for chromosomal aberrations. Marked chromosomal abnormalities were observed in cells of embryos of animals treated with AF-2 at over 20 mg/kg. Samples of surviving cells were also cultured in normal medium for 48 h, and then selected in medium containing 8AG or 6TG. This treatment with AF-2 caused marked dose-dependent induction of 8AG- or 6TG-resistant mutations: mutant colonies were even obtained after a single treatment with 2 mg of AF-2 per kg. These results show that this is a sensitive and useful mammalian system for detecting environmental mutagens.     

Quantitative relationships between lipophilicity and mutagenic effects of N-substituted amides of 3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-acrylic acid on Salmonella typhimurium

Mutagenic effects of 10 N-alkylamides of 3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-acrylic acid were assessed in two strains of Salmonella typhimurium TA100 (rfa+ and rfa-). Experimental data were confronted with physiologically based compartment model comprising passive membrane transport, metabolical inactivation in cytoplasm and formation of a reactive intermediate which is responsible for receptor modification. The quantitative dependences observed between mutagenicity and lipophilicity indicate that, in both cases, the drug-receptor interaction takes place in a hydrophobic compartment localized in the cytoplasm. The mutagenic potency of some derivatives was influenced also by stericity.     

Mutagenic effect of orally given AF-2 on embryonic cells in pregnant syrian hamsters

Pregnant hamsters were given various doses of AF-2 by stomach tube; then the cells of their embryos were isolated and cultured in normal medium. Chromosome preparations were made within 24 h after the start of primary culture, and examined for chromosomal aberrations. Marked chromosomal abnormalities were observed in cells of embryos of animals treated with AF-2 at over 20 mg/kg. Samples of surviving cells were also cultured in normal medium for 48 h, and then selected in medium containing 8AG or 6TG. This treatment with AF-2 caused marked dose-dependent induction of SAG- or 6TG-resistant mutations: mutant colonies were even obtained after a single treatment with 2 mg of AF-2 per kg. These results show that this is a sensitive and useful mammalian system for detecting environmental mutagens.     

Antimutagenic effect of phenolic acids

In the present study, the Salmonella typhimurium tester strain TA 100 was used in the plate-incorporation test to examine the antimutagenic potential of caffeic, ferulic and cichoric acids extracted from plant species of genera Echinacea (L) Moench, as well as of another phenolic acids, on 3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)acrylic acid (5NFAA) and sodium azide mutagenicity. All tested compounds possess antimutagenic activity. In the case of 5NFAA, the antimutagenic potency of tested compounds was in the order of gallic acid > ferulic acid > caffeic acid > syringic acid > vanillic acid. The mutagenic effect of sodium azide was inhibited by tested phenolic acids by about 20-35 %. The most effective compound, gallic acid inhibits this effect by 82 % in the concentration of 500 mug/plate. The only exception from favourable properties of tested phenolic acids is cichoric acid, which in the contrary significantly increased the mutagenic effect of 5NFAA.     

Evaluation of secondary nitroalkanes, their nitronates, primary nitroalkanes, nitrocarbinols, and other aliphatic nitro compounds in the Ames Salmonella assay.

The secondary nitroalkanes 2-nitropropane, 2-nitrobutane, 3-nitropentane and nitrocyclopentane, as well as their anionic forms (nitronates); the primary nitroalkanes 1-nitropropane, 1-nitrobutane, and 1-nitropentane and their respective nitronates; the nitrocarbinols 2-nitro-1-propanol, 2-nitro-1-butanol, 3-nitro-2-butanol, and 3-nitro-2-pentanol and their respective nitronates; 2-methyl-2-nitropropane, and 2-nitroso-2-nitropropane were tested in the Ames Salmonella assay using strains TA98, TA100 and TA102. Nitronates of the secondary nitroalkanes 2-nitropropane, 2-nitrobutane, 3-nitropentane, and nitrocyclopentane were significantly mutagenic in Salmonella strains TA100 and TA102 at 10-80 mumoles/plate, but the parent compounds were mutagenic at only a single dose level or were not mutagenic at all in the same dose range. The primary nitroalkanes and the nitrocarbinols were not mutagenic, or only marginally so, at the concentrations tested. The nitronates of the primary nitroalkanes and the nitrocarbinols reprotonated too rapidly under the conditions of the assay for adequate evaluation of mutagenicity. 2-Methyl-2-nitropropane was not mutagenic in strains TA100 and TA102; 2-nitroso-2-nitropropane was also not mutagenic in strains TA100 and TA102, but induced an equivocal mutagenic response in TA98. The positive Salmonella mutation data for the nitronates of the secondary nitroalkanes studied correlate very well with the very slow rate of reprotonation of secondary nitroalkane nitronates at pH 7.7 (Conaway et al. (1991) Cancer Res., 51, 3143), and provide further evidence that nitronates of secondary nitroalkanes, rather than the neutral parent forms with which they may be in equilibrium, are the more proximate mutagenic species.