Enhancement of sister-chromatid exchange in Chinese hamster ovary cells by nitrofurans.

The nitrofurans, N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide (FANFT), N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]acetamide (NFTA), 2-amino-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)thiazole (ANFT), 2-methyl-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)thiazole (MNFT), 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)acrylamide (AF-2), nitrofurantoin, 5-nitro-2-furfurylidene diacetate and 5-nitro-2-furamidoxime were assayed for the enhancement of sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and for the mutagenic activity in Salmonella typhimurium strain TA100. All of the nitrofurans significantly increased the frequency of SCE in CHO cells, and they were mutagenic for Salmonella. The increases in the frequencies of SCE were well correlated with the mutagenic activities in Salmonella.