title: Mutagenic activity of oxathiolane steroids: structural requirement for the genotoxic activity in Salmonella and E. coli.
abstract: Oxathiolanes and disulfonyl derivatives of steroids were tested for mutagenic activity in the Ames tester strains. The test compounds exhibited mutagenic activity without metabolic activation although metabolic activation markedly enhanced their activity. A significant decrease in the survival of the radiation-sensitive mutants recA, lexA and rer of E. coli was observed as compared to their wild-type counterpart in the presence of the test steroid. Structural features which appear to be crucial for the mutagenic activity in these steroidal drugs are: (i) an electron-donating group at position 3, and (ii) a bulky group anchored at the 5th and 6th positions. The test steroids appear to damage DNA which in turn initiates the SOS repair with the concomitant induction of mutation.
mesh_terms: D001711:Biotransformation; D002776:Cholestanes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D004260:DNA Repair; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005819:Genetic Markers; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D013014:SOS Response, Genetics; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium; D013260:Steroids, Heterocyclic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D002776:Cholestanes; D005819:Genetic Markers; D009153:Mutagens; D013260:Steroids, Heterocyclic