Effects of N-hydroxy-N'-aminoguanidine derivatives on ribonucleotide reductase activity, nucleic acid synthesis, clonogenicity, and cell cycle of L1210 cells.

Derivatives of N-hydroxy-N'-aminoguanidine were recently shown to be efficient inhibitors of mammalian ribonucleotide reductase and cancer cell growth. We investigated the effects of the 1-isoquinolylmethylene and the 2-quinolylmethylene derivatives of N-hydroxy-N'-aminoguanidine on intracellular targets, cell viability, and cell cycle of L1210 mouse leukemia cells. A 2-h exposure of L1210 cells to either drug in the low micromolar concentration range led to inhibition of intracellular ribonucleotide reductase activity and DNA synthesis. After a 24-h incubation in the presence of these drugs, RNA synthesis was also markedly diminished. The clonogenicity of L1210 cells was inhibited after treatment with the drugs for 24 and 48 h, the I50 values being comparable to the drug concentrations required for 50% inhibition of DNA synthesis and cell proliferation. The isoquinoline compound was always more inhibitory to reductase activity, nucleic acid synthesis, and clonogenicity than the quinoline compound. As shown by flow cytometry, the N-hydroxy-N'-aminoguanidine isoquinoline derivative at 0.5-10 microM led to an elevation of G0/G1 cells and a decrease of G2/M and S cells. At 10 microM of the drug this shift remained unchanged over 48 h. L1210 cells treated with 0.5, 1, and 2 microM of the drug overcame the block after 4 to 12 h of exposure and progressed through S- and G2/M-phase in a synchronized manner.