Triazene metabolism. III. In vitro cytotoxicity towards M21 cells and in vivo antitumour activity of the proposed metabolites of the antitumour 1-aryl-3,3-dimethyltriazenes

In vitro cytotoxicity of a series of antitumour triazenes towards the M21 melanoma cell line has been studied. Dimethyltriazenes are structural analogues of 5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno-)imidazole-4-carboxamide (Dacarbazine) and are inactive, which is consistent with the requirement for metabolic activation. Monomethyltriazenes and hydroxymethyltriazenes, the proposed metabolites of the dimethyltriazenes, are cytotoxic to the M21 cell line. A new series of 4-hydroxy-1,2,3-benzotriazines has been tested for in vitro cytotoxicity. A series of monoalkyltriazenes (Ar∙N=N∙NHR) has been tested for antitumour activity against the P388 lymphoma in vivo. Only monomethyltriazenes had significant antitumour activity, which supports the hypothesis that the monomethyltriazene is the active metabolite of the antitumour dimethyltriazenes. The activity of monomethyltriazenes in vivo is correlated with the chemical stability and t1/2 measurements in pH 7.5 phosphate buffer.