Toxic variability and radiation potentiation by Rh(III) complexes in Salmonella typhimurium cells.

Stationary-phase cells of Salmonella typhimurium were irradiated in phosphate-buffered saline in the presence of rhodium complexes to test for the potentiation of radiation-induced cell killing. Eleven Rh complexes, two Rh(I) and nine Rh(III), were tested. Seven Rh(III) complexes were found to be radiation potentiators; six potentiate only under hypoxic conditions, and one potentiates under both hypoxic and oxic conditions. Four of these seven Rh(III) complexes demonstrate potentiation that is 2 to 13 times greater than the sensitization caused by oxygen. Irradiating cells in Ham's F-12 culture medium rather than in phosphate-buffered saline eliminates this latter hypoxic radiation potentiation. None of the seven Rh(III) radiation potentiators are directly toxic to cells. However, four complexes were tested for hypoxic radiation-induced cytocidal toxicity, and three were found to be toxic after irradiation. The efficiency of this toxicity is not sufficient to account for the observed radiation potentiation. It is suggested that both reductive and oxidative free radical events are involved in the spectrum of Rh(III) potentiation observed.