Use of in vitro topoisomerase II assays for studying quinolone antibacterial agents.

Several quinolones and antitumor compounds were tested as inhibitors of purified calf thymus topoisomerase II in unknotting, catenation, radiolabeled DNA cleavage, and quantitative nonradiolabeled cleavage assays. The antitumor agents VP-16 (demethylepipodophyllotoxin ethylio-beta-D-glucoside) and ellipticine demonstrated drug-enhanced topoisomerase II DNA cleavage (the concentration of drug that induced 50% of the maximal DNA cleavage in the test system [CC50]) at levels of less than or equal to 5 micrograms/ml. Nalidixic acid, norfloxacin, and oxolinic acid did not induce significant topoisomerase II DNA cleavage, whereas ciprofloxacin did induce some cleavage above background levels. CP-67,015, a new 6,8-difluoro-7-pyridyl 4-quinolone which possesses potent antibacterial activity, inhibited bacterial DNA gyrase at 0.125 micrograms/ml in a nonradioactive DNA cleavage assay. Unlike other quinolones characterized to date, CP-67,015 was shown to strongly enhance topoisomerase II-induced radiolabeled DNA cleavage with a CC50 of 33 micrograms/ml and demonstrated cleavage in a nonradiolabeled DNA cleavage assay with a CC50 of 73 micrograms/ml. The topoisomerase II-mediated cleavage of DNA by CP-67,015 is consistent with its reported clastogenic effect on DNA in cell culture and its positive mutagenic response in mouse lymphoma cells. In vitro topoisomerase II catalytic and cleavage assays are useful for gaining preliminary information concerning the possible interaction(s) of some quinolones with eucaryotic topoisomerase II which may relate directly to their safety (mutagenicity, clastogenicity, or both) in human and veterinary medicinal usage.