title: Mechanisms of hypoxic and aerobic cytotoxicity of mitomycin C in Chinese hamster V79 cells.
abstract: Mitomycin C (MMC) induced aerobic and hypoxic cytotoxicity in Chinese hamster V79 cells was studied to evaluate the role of the 1-electron versus 2-electron reductive bioactivation. Superoxide dismutase, catalase, and desferal had no protective effects on the aerobic or hypoxic cytotoxicity of MMC, whereas Tempol and Tempol-H, which are known to interrupt and terminate radical reactions, provided partial protection under aerobic conditions. However, under hypoxic conditions, Tempol provided complete protection whereas Tempol-H was ineffective. Electron paramagnetic resonance and spin-trapping investigations, designed to study the mechanisms of such protective effects, confirmed that MMC is activated by the human NADPH:cytochrome P-450 oxidoreductase to its semiquinone radical and that, under aerobic conditions, the semiquinone radical reduces molecular oxygen. Under hypoxic conditions, the semiquinone of MMC reduces H2O2 to produce OH radicals as detected by electron paramagnetic resonance-spin trapping with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide. The 1-electron reduced product of MMC was also found to reduce Tempol to the hydroxylamine, Tempol-H, whereas oxidation of Tempol-H by MMC-. was negligible. Cell survival studies and electron paramagnetic resonance observations indicate that the hypoxic cytotoxicity of MMC is mediated by 1-electron activation to its semiquinone intermediate. Under aerobic conditions, the steady state concentration of this intermediate is low due to the facile autooxidation of the semiquinone producing O2-. and H2O2 which are capable of causing oxidative cytotoxicity. Tempol, which can accept an electron from reducing radical species, completely inhibited the hypoxic cytotoxicity of MMC indicating MMC-., the semiquinone of MMC as the species responsible for DNA alkylation and selective hypoxic cytotoxicity of MMC. Our results also indicate that the aerobic cytotoxicity is mediated by other processes in addition to the 1-electron mediated activation.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Krishna
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: DeGraff
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samuni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006224:Cricetinae; D003497:Cyclic N-Oxides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D005609:Free Radicals; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D000860:Hypoxia; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000633:toxicity*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013113:Spin Labels; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000477:Alkylating Agents; D003497:Cyclic N-Oxides; D005609:Free Radicals; D013113:Spin Labels; D016685:Mitomycin; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; C001803:tempol