FLUORESCENCE OF CHROMATIN DNA INDUCED BY ANTITUMORAL NAPHTHALIMIDES

Treatment of chicken blood smears and semithin sec lions from Epon-emb edded mouse tissues with aqueous solutions of the 3-aminonaphthalimide s FA-142, FA-2043, and FA-2143 induced a strong green-yellow fluoresce nce of chromatin under violet or violet-blue excitation. Chromatin emi ssion was abolished by previous DNase or hot TCA treatment. The use of 3-methoxy (FA-655) and 3-nitro derivatives (M-4212 and M-12210) resul ted in very weak fluorescence of chromatin. Absorption maxima at 346 a nd 408 nm and an emission peak at 570 nm were observed for the free co mpound FA-142. Fluorescence properties open new and interesting applic ations for some of these antitumoral and DNA-intercalating naphthalimi des.