Toxicity of nitro compounds toward hypoxic mammalian cells in vitro: dependence on reduction potential.

Fifteen nitroaromatic and nitroheterocyclic compounds that can act as "radiosensitizers" were tested for their cytotoxicity toward hypoxic Chinese hamster V79 cells in vitro. The cytotoxicity increased markedly as the electron affinity, measured as a one-electron reduction potential, increased. Non-nitro-containing compounds of similar electron affinities (such as quinones) that also act as radiosensitizers did not exhibit this specific toxicity toward hypoxic cells. The implications of the presence of the nitro group as a prerequisite for the hypoxic cell toxicity were discussed, and the mechanism of the cytotoxicity was compared with that of hypoxic cell radiosensitization.