Elevated topoisomerase II activity and altered chromatin in nitrogen mustard-resistant human cells.

A human Burkitt's lymphoma cell line (Raji-HN2) made resistant to nitrogen mustard, a bifunctional alkylating agent, was used to study the mechanism of resistance to nitrogen mustard. A comparative study of Raji-HN2 and the parental sensitive Raji cell lines revealed the following: (1) The DNA of Raji-HN2 cells was crosslinked by nitrogen mustard to a lower extent than Raji DNA; (2) once interstrand crosslinks were formed, they were repaired at the same rate in both cell lines; (3) DNA crosslink formation in Raji-HN2, but not in Raji cells, was enhanced by novobiocin, a topoisomerase II inhibitor; (4) Raji-HN2 cells had elevated topoisomerase II activity and were hypersensitive to topoisomerase inhibitors (amsacrine, novobiocin, teniposide); (5) similar amounts of topoisomerase I were found in both cell lines; and (6) the chromatin of Raji-HN2 but not of Raji cells, was hypersensitive to DNase I digestion. The relationship between DNA repair, topoisomerase II activity, chromatin structure and drug resistance is discussed.