ACTIVITY OF A NITROALKENE DERIVATIVE, 1-(5-BROMOFUR-2-IL)-2-BROMO-2-NITROETHENE, IN THE SALMONELLA MICROSOME ASSAY AND THE MOUSE BONE-MARROW MICRONUCLEUS TEST/

Mutagenicity of a substituted nitroalkene, 1-(5-bromofur-2-il)-2-bromo -2-nitroethene (BNF) was tested in the Salmonella/microsome assay usin g the strains TA 98, TA 100 and TA 100NR (nitroreductase deficient). B NF was a direct mutagen in TA 98 and TA 100; the response was lowered when exogenous metabolic activation (S9) was used. A further decrease in mutagenicity was observed in strain TA 100NR, as compared to the pa rental TA 100, which showed the involvement of nitroreduction in the o verall response elicited by BNF. The micronucleus assay was carried ou t in Swiss male mice which were given a single i.p. dose of 10-20 mg/k g of BNF dissolved in peanut oil, bone marrow being sampled 24 and 48 h later, The micronucleated polychromatic erythrocyte counts (MNPCE) s howed a weak response in the dose range of 10-17.5 mg/kg at the second sampling (48 h) and a significant rise for 20 mg/kg at 24 and 48 h.