IMMUNOTOXICITY OF NITROAROMATIC EXPLOSIVES IN VITRO:QUANTITATIVE STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIPS

摘要

The immunosuppressive action of explosive 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene and its degradation products has been reported, although having not been expressed in quantitative terms. Here we show that the ,cytotoxicity of a number of polynitroaromatic explosives in immunocompetent primary mouse splenocytes increases with an increase in their single-electron reduction potential and/or redox cycling activity in model enzymatic reactions. The cytotoxicity was partly prevented by antioxidants. Our data imply that the immunotoxic action of the above explosive compounds may be mainly determined by their enzymatic redox cycling and oxidative stress.