SR 4233 cytotoxicity and metabolism in DNA repair-competent and repair-deficient cell cultures.

In order to understand in more detail the mechanism underlying the preferential hypoxic cytotoxicity of the benzotriazine N-oxide SR 4233, we have compared the hypoxic cytotoxicity of this drug to the rates of hypoxic metabolism in both DNA double strand break repair-competent and repair-deficient cell cultures. Rodent SCCVII cells and repair deficient, radiation sensitive cells (rodent XR-1, V-3, and human AT5BI) were most sensitive to SR 4233 under hypoxia with a lethal dose needed to kill 50% of cells (LD50) of less than 5 microM. SR 4233 was less cytotoxic to human AG 1522 (LD50 = 18 microM), CHO 4364 (LD50 = 25 microM) and human HT 1080 cells (LD50 = 33 microM). The sensitivities to SR 4233 were found to be inversely proportional to the rates of SR 4233 metabolism in repair-competent cells (R2 = 0.9). However, XR-1 and V-3 cells were more sensitive to SR 4233 than predicted by the metabolism rate. Thus, the toxicity by SR 4233 towards hypoxic cells appears to result from two mechanisms; the rate of drug metabolism and the ability to repair DNA double strand breaks.