Absence of delayed lethality in mice treated with aclacinomycin A.

Two compounds that bind to or intercalate with DNA (DNA binders), e.g., adriamycin and 'dihydroxyanthracenedione', 9,10-anthracenedione, 1,4-dihydroxy-5,8-bis[[2-[(2-hydroxyethyl)-amino]ethyl]amino]-, dihydrochloride salt, consistently caused delayed lethality (20-200 days after treatment) if administered intraperitoneally (IP). Both of these agents contain para-hydroxyl groups in the ring adjacent to the quinone ring. Certain analogs of these compounds (aclacinomycin A and 'anthracenedione acetate', 9,10-anthracenedione, 1,4-bis[[2-[(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]ethyl]amino]-, diacetate (salt), which do not contain para-hydroxyl groups, did not cause delayed deaths when injected IP. The only difference in the molecular structure (other than the nature of their amine salts) between dihydroxyanthracenedione and anthracenedione acetate lies in the para-hydroxyl groups in the ring adjacent to the quinone ring. Another compound that binds to DNA, m-AMSA, which has neither the quinone function nor the para-hydroxyl groups, did not cause delayed deaths after IP administration.