Detection of a reactive metabolite of misonidazole in hypoxic mammalian cells.

A misonidazole metabolite capable of reacting with guanosine has been detected in extracts of Chinese hamster ovary cells exposed to misonidazole under hypoxic conditions. A misonidazole metabolite with identical chromatographic properties and reactivity with guanosine has been detected in earlier studies with misonidazole reduced to the hydroxylamine state by chemical, radiolytic, or electrolytic means. The proposed structure of the guanosine product involves the addition of a two-carbon fragment between the N1 and N2 positions of guanosine. Rearrangement of the N-hydroxy derivative of misonidazole to a C-hydroxy derivative is postulated as the initial step in the reaction scheme.