THE CHARACTERIZATION OF 2 BILIARY GLUTATHIONE CONJUGATES OF AMSACRINEUSING LIQUID SECONDARY-ION MASS-SPECTROMETRY

An additional biliary glutathione (GSH) conjugate of the anilinoacridi ne anti-tumour agent amsacrine (4'-49 acridinylamino)methanesulphon-m- anisidide, NSC 249992) has been identified in bile collected from male Wistar rats by cannulation of the common bile duct and from male BDF1 mice by removal of the gall bladder after treatment with amsacrine. T he presence of this conjugate, at the 6'-position of the anilino ring, has been confirmed by liquid secondary ion (LSI) mass spectrometric a nalysis of selected biliary metabolites separated by high-performance liquid chromatography. The two major metabolites each gave a daughter ion spectrum which was diagnostic for either 5'- or 6'-GSH conjugation . This pattern was confirmed by comparison with LSI mass spectral data obtained from authentic chemical standards formed on reaction of the quinone diimine derivative of amsacrine with methanethiol or mercaptoe thanol.