title: Biological and biochemical properties of the 2-hydroxyl metabolites of 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea.
abstract: The lethal and bone marrow toxicity and antitumor activity of the cis- and trans-2-hydroxylated metabolites of 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea (CCNU) have been correlated with their relative in vitro alkylating and carbamoylating activities. Both the isomers have considerably greater alkylating activity and shorter chemical half-lives than the parent compound and on a molar basis have greater antitumor activity against i.p. L1210 leukemia. However, in terms of molar doses resulting in the death of 10% of normal mice, the cis- and trans-2 isomers were 2- and 3-fold more toxic than was CCNU in normal mice. In comparing the antitumor activity produced by a maximum nonlethal dose for each compound, we found that the trans isomer had activity identical to that of CCNU (413 and 410% increased life span compared to control), and the cis isomer had considerably less (152%). Like chlorozotocin, both isomers possess low carbamoylating activity and increased water solubility, two features that have been considered possible contributors to the bone marrow-sparing character of chlorozotocin. However, in the murine model the human bone marrow colony formation (CFU-C) assay neither hydroxylated metabolite of CCNU was associated with reduced myelotoxicity.
mesh_terms: D000478:Alkylation; D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007939:Leukemia L1210 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008130:Lomustine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds; D013311:Streptozocin; D008130:Lomustine