Ethanol mustard cytotoxicity in vitro toward murine leukemia and bone marrow progenitor cells.

Ethanol mustard, 2-[bis(2-chloroethyl)amino]ethanol-picrate, was approximately one tenth as cytotoxic as mechlorethamine toward both murine bone marrow progenitor cells and L1210 leukemia cells. Choline protected cells against nitrogen mustard cytotoxicity, but increased their sensitivity toward ethanol mustard. 2-(di-n--butylamino)ethanol was the best protector of both bone marrow precursor cells and L1210 cells against ethanol mustard cytotoxicity. Both ethanol mustard and 2-(di-n-butylamino)ethanol showed non-competitive inhibition of choline transport.