Open AccessMutagenic Studies of Folic Acid Antagonists
Author(s) -
Clara S. Genther,
Rita Schoeny,
John C. Loper,
Carl C. Smith
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.07
H-Index - 259
eISSN - 1070-6283
pISSN - 0066-4804
DOI - 10.1128/aac.12.1.84
Subject(s) - folic acid , pyrimethamine , folic acid antagonists , amethopterin , chemistry , salmonella , microbiology and biotechnology , trimethoprim , biology , antibiotics , biochemistry , pharmacology , bacteria , methotrexate , chloroquine , genetics , malaria , medicine , immunology
Compounds that compete with folic acid (folic acid antagonists [FAAs]) become limited in their usefulness in the treatment of leukemia, malaria, and bacterial infections by the rapid development of resistance. Assays of the plasma levels of certain of these FAAs led to the observation, in about 25% of the determinations, that a higher density of growth ofStreptococcus faecium var.durans (ATCC 8043) was obtained at an FAA concentration just below the completely inhibitory level than at one-half this concentration. This and other considerations suggested that FAAs may act not only as selective agents for resistant organisms but also as mutagens. Seven FAAs including amethopterin, pyrimethamine, trimethoprim, chlorguanide triazine, an experimental quinazoline, WR-158,122, and two experimental triazines, WR-99,210 and WR-38,839, were tested for mutagenicity in theSalmonella reversion assay developed by Ames et al. (1975). All were found to be negative for strains TA1535, TA1537, TA1538, TA98, and TA100, both with and without microsomal activation. These compounds were then tested as mutagens for three traits in the folic acid-requiringS. faecium . FAAs were shown to cause mutations to folic acid independence, rifampin resistance, and FAA resistance. It is postulated that the FAAs induce mutations by causing thymine deprivation in the folic acid-requiring host.