Boise State University Graduate College Defense Committee and Final Reading Approvals

............................................................................................................................ vi LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................... xi LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................ xii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................ xvi CHAPTER ONE: AZIRIDINOMITOSENES: A BRIEF HISTORY AND POTENTIAL AS ANTI-TUMOR CHEMOTHERAPEUTICS ...................................................................... 1 Overview of Mitomycin and Aziridinomitosene Structural Skeleton .......................... 2 Mitomycin Isolation and Initial Studies into Biological Activity ................................. 4 Mitomycin C Clinical Use ............................................................................................ 5 Mitomycin DNA Alkylation ......................................................................................... 6 Mitomycin C Oxidative Stress .................................................................................... 11 Mitomycin Anaerobic Preference ............................................................................... 14 Mitomycin C Resistance ............................................................................................. 15 Aziridinomitosene Biological Activity ....................................................................... 17 Aziridinomitosene DNA Alkylation ........................................................................... 20 Aziridinomitosene Analogs ........................................................................................ 23 Aziridinomitosenes: Potential Problems ..................................................................... 25 Potential Benefits of Aziridinomitosenes over Mitomycins ....................................... 26