Ex-vivo and in vitro protective effects of kolaviron against oxygen-derived radical-induced DNA damage and oxidative stress in human lymphocytes and rat liver cells

The present study reports the protective effects of kolaviron, a Garcinia biflavonoid from the seeds of Garcinia kola widely consumed in some West African countries against oxidative damage to molecular targets ex-vivo and in vitro. Treatment with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at a concentration of 100 micromol/L increased the levels of DNA strand breaks and oxidized purine (formamidopyrimidine glycosylase (FPG) and pyrimidine (endonuclease III (ENDO III) sites) bases in both human lymphocytes and rat liver cells using alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (the comet assay). Kolaviron was protective at concentrations between 30-90 micromol/L and decreased H2O2-induced DNA strand breaks and oxidized bases. Neither alpha-tocopherol nor curcumin decreased H2O2-induced DNA damage in this assay. In lymphocytes incubated with Fe3+/GSH, Fe3+ was reduced to Fe2+ by GSH initiating a free radical generating reaction which induced 11.7, 6.3, and 4.9 fold increase respectively in strand breaks, ENDO III and FPG sensitive sites compared with control levels. Deferoxamine (2 mmol/L), an established iron chelator significantly inhibited GSH/Fe3+-induced strand breaks and oxidized base damage. Similarly, kolaviron at 30 and 90 micromol/L significantly attenuated GSH/Fe3+-induced strand breaks as well as base oxidation. Kolaviron (100 mg/kg bw) administered to rats for one week protected rat liver cells against H2O2-induced formation of strand breaks, ENDO III, and FPG sensitive sites, Fe3+/EDTA/ascorbate-induced malondialdehyde formation and protein oxidation using gamma-glutamyl semialdehyde (GGS) and 2-amino-adipic semialdehyde (AAS) as biomarkers of oxidative damage to proteins. We suggest that kolaviron exhibits protective effects against oxidative damage to molecular targets via scavenging of free radicals and iron binding. Kolaviron may therefore be relevant in the chemoprevention of oxidant-induced genotoxicity and possibly human carcinogenesis.     

Poly(deoxyadenylic-deoxythymidylic acid) damage by radiolytically activated neocarzinostatin

The anaerobic reaction of poly(deoxyadenylic-deoxythymidylic acid) with neocarzinostatin activated by the carboxyl radical CO2-, an electron donor generated from gamma-ray radiolysis of nitrous oxide saturated formate buffer, has been characterized. DNA damage includes base release and strand breaks. Few strand breaks are formed prior to alkaline treatment; they bear 3'-phosphoryl termini. In contrast, most (66%) of the base release occurs spontaneously. DNA damage is highly (95%) specific for thymidine sites. Neither DNA-drug covalent adduct nor nucleoside 5'-aldehyde, which are major products in the DNA-nicking reaction initiated by mercaptans and oxygen, is formed in this reaction. Data are presented to show that the CO2(-)-activated neocarzinostatin intermediate is a short-lived free radical able to abstract hydrogen atoms from the C-1' and C-5' positions of deoxyribose. Attack occurs mostly (68%) at the C-1' position, producing a lesion whose properties are consistent with those of (oxidized) apyrimidinic sites.     

Free radicals-mediated induction of oxidized DNA bases and DNA-protein cross-links by nickel chloride

Using the comet assay, we showed that nickel chloride at 250-1000 microM induced DNA damage in human lymphocytes, measured as the change in comet tail moment, which increased with nickel concentration up to 500 microM and then decreased. Observed increase might follow from the induction of strand breaks or/and alkali-labile sites (ALS) by nickel, whereas decrease from its induction of DNA-DNA and/or DNA-protein cross-links. Proteinase K caused an increase in the tail moment, suggesting that nickel chloride at 1000 microM might cross-link DNA with nuclear proteins. Lymphocytes exposed to NiCl(2) and treated with enzymes recognizing oxidized and alkylated bases: endonuclease III (Endo III), formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase (Fpg) and 3-methyladenine-DNA glycosylase II (AlkA), displayed greater extent of DNA damage than those not treated with these enzymes, indicating the induction of oxidized and alkylated bases by nickel. The incubation of lymphocytes with spin traps, 5,5-dimethyl-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) and PBN decreased the extent of DNA damage, which might follow from the production of free radicals by nickel. The pre-treatment with Vitamin C at 10 microM and Vitamin E at 25 microM decreased the tail moment of the cells exposed to NiCl(2) at the concentrations of the metal causing strand breaks or/and ALS. The results obtained suggest that free radicals may be involved in the formation of strand breaks or/and ALS in DNA as well as DNA-protein cross-links induced by NiCl(2). Nickel chloride can also alkylate DNA bases. Our results support thesis on multiple, free radicals-based genotoxicity pathways of nickel.     

A comparison of the in vitro genotoxicity of anticancer drugs idarubicin and mitoxantrone

Idarubicin is an anthracycline antibiotic used in cancer therapy. Mitoxantrone is an anthracycline analog with presumed better antineoplastic activity and lesser toxicity. Using the alkaline comet assaywe showed that the drugs at 0.01-10 microM induced DNA damage in normal human lymphocytes. The effect induced by idarubicin was more pronounced than by mitoxantrone (P < 0.001). The cells treated with mitoxantrone at 1 microM were able to repair damage to their DNA within a 30-min incubation, whereas the lymphocytes exposed to idarubicin needed 180 min. Since anthracyclines are known to produce free radicals, we checked whether reactive oxygen species might be involved in the observed DNA damage. Catalase, an enzyme inactivating hydrogen peroxide, decreased the extent of DNA damage induced by idarubicin, but did not affect the extent evoked by mitoxantrone. Lymphocytes exposed to the drugs and treated with endonuclease III or formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase (Fpg), enzymes recognizing and nicking oxidized bases, displayed a higher level of DNA damage than the untreated ones. 3-Methyladenine-DNA glycosylase II (AlkA), an enzyme recognizing and nicking mainly methylated bases in DNA, increased the extent of DNA damage caused by idarubicin, but not that induced by mitoxantrone. Our results indicate that the induction of secondary malignancies should be taken into account as side effects of the two drugs. Direct strand breaks, oxidation and methylation of the DNA bases can underlie the DNA-damaging effect of idarubicin, whereas mitoxantrone can induce strand breaks and modification of the bases, including oxidation. The observed in normal lymphocytes much lesser genotoxicity of mitoxantrone compared to idarubicin should be taken into account in planning chemotherapeutic strategies.     

RADACK, a stochastic simulation of hydroxyl radical attack to DNA

RADACK was conceived to simulate the radiation-induced attack to different DNA forms and complexes. It allows to separately calculate the probability of attack to each reactive atom of the sugar and of the base and takes into account the sequence-dependent structure of DNA as known from crystallographic or NMR studies or resulting from molecular modelling. The calculations are aimed to assess sequence-, structure- and ligand-dependent modulation of damages of sugar and bases, leading to single strand breaks (frank strand breaks, FSB) and alkali-labile base modifications (alkali-revealed breaks, ARB), respectively. The modelling procedure and the results of simulations for some representative structures (B, Z and quadruplex forms) are here described and discussed. The calculated relative probabilities of OH* radical attack to all reaction sites are compared to experimental FSB and ARB values. By a fitting procedure, the relative efficiencies of conversion of the C4' and C5'-centred radicals into FSB, epsilon (C4'): epsilon (C5'), and the relative efficiencies of base radicals- to- ARB conversion, epsilon(T) : epsilon(A) : epsilon(C) : epsilon(G), are then deduced for each DNA form. The ability of the model to account for the distribution of damages in DNA-ligand complexes is proven by its successful application to two DNA-protein systems : the lac repressor-lac operator complex and the nuclcosome core.     

Calculation on spectrum of direct DNA damage induced by low-energy electrons including dissociative electron attachment

In this work, direct DNA damage induced by low-energy electrons (sub-keV) is simulated using a Monte Carlo method. The characteristics of the present simulation are to consider the new mechanism of DNA damage due to dissociative electron attachment (DEA) and to allow determining damage to specific bases (i.e., adenine, thymine, guanine, or cytosine). The electron track structure in liquid water is generated, based on the dielectric response model for describing electron inelastic scattering and on a free-parameter theoretical model and the NIST database for calculating electron elastic scattering. Ionization cross sections of DNA bases are used to generate base radicals, and available DEA cross sections of DNA components are applied for determining DNA-strand breaks and base damage induced by sub-ionization electrons. The electron elastic scattering from DNA components is simulated using cross sections from different theoretical calculations. The resulting yields of various strand breaks and base damage in cellular environment are given. Especially, the contributions of sub-ionization electrons to various strand breaks and base damage are quantitatively presented, and the correlation between complex clustered DNA damage and the corresponding damaged bases is explored. This work shows that the contribution of sub-ionization electrons to strand breaks is substantial, up to about 40–70%, and this contribution is mainly focused on single-strand break. In addition, the base damage induced by sub-ionization electrons contributes to about 20–40% of the total base damage, and there is an evident correlation between single-strand break and damaged base pair A–T.     

Efficiency of incision of an AP site within clustered DNA damage by the major human AP endonuclease.

A major DNA lesion induced by ionizing radiation and formed on removal of oxidized base lesions by various glycosylases is an apurinic/apyrimidinic site (AP site). The presence of an AP site within clustered DNA damage, induced following exposure to ionizing radiation or radiomimetic anticancer agents, may present a challenge to the repair machinery of the cell, if the major human AP endonuclease, HAP1, does not efficiently incise the AP site. In this study, specific oligonucleotide constructs containing an AP site located at several positions opposite to another damage [5,6-dihydrothymine (DHT), 8-oxoG, AP site, or various types of single strand breaks] on the complementary strand were used to determine the relative efficiency of the purified HAP1 protein in incising an AP site(s) from clustered DNA damage. A base damage (DHT and 8-oxoG) on the opposite strand has little or no influence on the rate of incision of an AP site by HAP1. In contrast, the presence of either a second AP site or various types of single strand breaks, when located one or three bases 3' to the base opposite to the AP site, has a strong inhibitory effect on the efficiency of incision of an AP site. The efficiency of binding of HAP1 to an AP site is reduced by approximately 1 order of magnitude if a single strand break (SSB) is located one or three bases 3' to the site opposite to the AP site on the complementary strand. If the AP site and either a SSB or a second AP site are located at any of the other positions relative to each other, a double strand break may result.     

DNA sequence context as a determinant of the quantity and chemistry of guanine oxidation produced by hydroxyl radicals and one-electron oxidants

DNA sequence context has emerged as a critical determinant of the location and quantity of nucleobase damage caused by many oxidizing agents. However, the complexity of nucleobase and 2-deoxyribose damage caused by strong oxidants such as ionizing radiation and the Fenton chemistry of Fe2+-EDTA/H2O2 poses a challenge to defining the location of nucleobase damage and the effects of sequence context on damage chemistry in DNA. To address this problem, we developed a gel-based method that allows quantification of nucleobase damage in oxidized DNA by exploiting Escherichia coli exonuclease III to remove fragments containing direct strand breaks and abasic sites. The rigor of the method was verified in studies of guanine oxidation by photooxidized riboflavin and nitrosoperoxycarbonate, for which different effects of sequence context have been demonstrated by other approaches (Margolin, Y., Cloutier, J. F., Shafirovich, V., Geacintov, N. E., and Dedon, P. C. (2006) Nat. Chem. Biol. 2, 365-366). Using duplex oligodeoxynucleotides containing all possible three-nucleotide sequence contexts for guanine, the method was used to assess the role of DNA sequence context in hydroxyl radical-induced guanine oxidation associated with gamma-radiation and Fe2+-EDTA/H2O2. The results revealed both differences and similarities for G oxidation by hydroxyl radicals and by one-electron oxidation by riboflavin-mediated photooxidation, which is consistent with the predominance of oxidation pathways for hydroxyl radicals other than one-electron oxidation to form guanine radical cations. Although the relative quantities of G oxidation produced by hydroxyl radicals were more weakly correlated with sequence-specific ionization potential than G oxidation produced by riboflavin, damage produced by both hydroxyl radical generators and riboflavin within two- and three-base runs of G showed biases in location that are consistent with a role for electron transfer in defining the location of the damage products. Furthermore, both gamma-radiation and Fe2+-EDTA/H2O2 showed relatively modest effects of sequence context on the proportions of different damage products sensitive to E. coli formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase and hot piperidine, although GT-containing sequence contexts displayed subtle biases in damage chemistry (formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase/piperidine ratio). Overall, the results are consistent with the known chemistry of guanine oxidation by hydroxyl radical and demonstrate that charge migration plays a relatively minor role in determining the location and chemistry of hydroxyl radical-mediated oxidative damage to guanine in DNA.     

The effect of reductant levels on the formation of damage lesions derived from a 2-deoxyribose radical in ssDNA

Thiols play a major role in the outcome of oxidative damage to DNA when it is initiated through cellular exposure to ionizing radiation. DNA radicals formed under aerobic conditions are converted to peroxyl radicals through trapping by oxygen at a diffusion-controlled rate. As a primary source of cellular reductant, thiols are responsible for the conversion of these DNA-derived peroxyl radicals to their corresponding hydrogen peroxides and subsequent strand breaks. Through the use of modified nucleotides, which act as precursors to nucleic acid radicals, we have investigated the effect of varying amounts of the cellular thiol glutathione (GSH) on the distribution of damage products produced from a 2-deoxyribose radical in DNA: the C3'-thymidinyl radical. The C3'-thymidinyl radical results from the abstraction of a hydrogen atom from the C3'-position of DNA oligomers at a thymidine residue, and is known to deliver several DNA damage lesions including the 3'-phosphoglycolaldehyde, 3'-phosphoglycolate and a 5'-aldehyde. Here we show that the level of GSH present has an impact on the level of production of these C3'-thymidinyl radical derived damage products.     

The Role of Hydroxyl Radicals in the Degradation of DNA By Ozone

The degradation of the nucleotides dAMP, dGMP, dCMP and dTMP and of calf thymus DNA by ozone was studied. In all cases both base and sugar moiety were degraded. Furthermore, strand breaks were induced in calf thymus DNA. Hydroxyl radicals were probably involved in the oxidation of the base in dAMP and of the deoxyribose ring, but not in the degradation of the other bases. This indicates that ozone-induced DNA damage proceeds both directly via ozone molecules and indirectly via hydroxyl radicals.     

The Role of Hydroxyl Radicals in the Degradation of DNA By Ozone

The degradation of the nucleotides dAMP, dGMP, dCMP and dTMP and of calf thymus DNA by ozone was studied. In all cases both base and sugar moiety were degraded. Furthermore, strand breaks were induced in calf thymus DNA. Hydroxyl radicals were probably involved in the oxidation of the base in dAMP and of the deoxyribose ring, but not in the degradation of the other bases. This indicates that ozone-induced DNA damage proceeds both directly via ozone molecules and indirectly via hydroxyl radicals.     

OH-induced free radicals in 3'-UMP and poly(U): spin-trapping and radical chromatography

Characterization of OH-induced free radicals using 3'-UMP and poly(U) was performed by a method combining spin-trapping and radical chromatography. A N2O-saturated aqueous solution containing 3'-UMP and 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane as a spin-trap was X-irradiated. The spin adducts generated by the reactions of OH radicals with 3'-UMP were separated by paired-ion HPLC and the separated spin adducts were identified by ESR spectroscopy. In the case of poly(U), the spin adducts were digested to oligonucleotides with RNase A and then separated and identified in the same manner as 3'-UMP. The free radicals observed for poly(U) were identical to those for 3'-UMP. The 5-yl radical and the 6-yl radical were identified as precursors of various oxidized products of the base moiety, and the 4'-yl radical and 5'-yl radical, formed by H-abstraction at the C-4' and C-5' positions of the sugar moieties, respectively, were identified as precursors of strand breaks. The 1'-yl radical, produced by H-abstraction at the C-1' position of the sugar moiety, was also identified. From the similarity of the free radicals of 3'-UMP and poly(U), it is suggested that the reactivities of OH radicals with nucleotides are identical to those in polynucleotides.     

Effects of organosulfurs, isothiocyanates and vitamin C towards hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative DNA damage (strand breaks and oxidized purines/pyrimidines) in human hepatoma cells

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of organosulfurs, isothiocyanates and vitamin C towards hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage (DNA strand breaks and oxidized purines/pyrimidines) in human hepatoma cells (HepG2), using the Comet assay. Treatment with hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) increased the levels of DNA strand breaks and oxidized purine and pyrimidine bases, in a concentration and time dependent manner. Organosulfur compounds (OSCs) reduced DNA strand breaks induced by H(2)O(2). In addition, OSCs also decreased the levels of oxidized pyrimidines. However, none of the OSCs tested reduced the levels of oxidized purines. Isothiocyanates compounds (ITCs) and vitamin C showed protective effects towards H(2)O(2)-induced DNA strand breaks and oxidized purine and pyrimidine bases. The results indicate that removal of oxidized purine and pyrimidine bases by ITCs was more efficient than by OSCs and vitamin C. Our findings suggest that OSCs, ITCs and vitamin C could exert their protective effects towards H(2)O(2)-induced DNA strand breaks and oxidative DNA damage by the free radical-scavenging efficiency of these compounds.     

A new calculation on spectrum of direct DNA damage induced by low-energy electrons

In this work, direct DNA damage induced by low-energy electrons (<5 keV) is simulated using Monte Carlo methods, and the resulting yield of various strand breaks and base damages in cellular environment is presented. The simulation is based on a new inelastic cross section for the production of electron track structure in liquid water, and on ionization cross sections of DNA bases to generate base radical. Especially, a systematic approach of simulating detailed base damage is suggested. This approach includes improvement of a volume model of DNA, generation of the DNA base sequence, conversion of ionization events in liquid water at hit site to the ionization interaction of electrons with DNA bases and development of an algorithm to convert a base radical to a damage. The results obtained in terms of strand breaks are compared with those of experiments and other theoretical calculations, and good agreement was obtained. The yield of detailed base damages and clustered DNA damages caused by the combination of various strand breaks and base damages is presented, and the corresponding distribution characteristics are analyzed. The influence of the relative content of base pairs A-T and G-C in a DNA segment on the yield of both strand breaks and base damages is also explored. The present work provides fundamental information on DNA damage and represents the first effort toward the goal of obtaining the spectrum of clustered DNA damage including detailed base damages, for the mechanistic interpretation and prediction of radiation effects.     

Endonuclease-sensitive DNA modifications induced by acetone and acetophenone as photosensitizers.

Repair endonucleases, viz. endonuclease III, formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase (FPG protein), endonuclease IV, exonuclease III and UV endonuclease, were used to analyse the modifications induced in bacteriophage PM2 DNA by 333 nm laser irradiation in the presence of acetone or acetophenone. In addition to pyrimidine dimers sensitive to UV endonuclease, 5,6-dihydropyrimidines (sensitive to endonuclease III) and base modifications sensitive to FPG protein were generated. The level of the last in the case of acetone was 50% and in the case of acetophenone 9% of the level of pyrimidine dimers. HPLC analysis of the bases excised by FPG protein revealed that least some of them were 8-hydroxyguanine (7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine). In the damage induced by direct excitation of DNA at 254 nm, which was analysed for comparison, the number of FPG protein-sensitive base modifications was only 0.6% of that of the pyrimidine dimers. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that the formation of FPG protein-sensitive modifications did not involve singlet oxygen, as the damage was not increased in D2O as solvent. Hydroxyl radicals, superoxide and H2O2 were also not involved, since the relative number of single strand breaks and of sites of base loss (AP sites) was much lower than in the case of DNA damage induced by hydroxyl radicals and since the presence of SOD or catalase had no effect on the extent of the damage. However, the mechanism did involve an intermediate that was much more efficiently quenched by azide ions than the triplet excited carbonyl compounds and which was possibly a purine radical. Together, the data indicate that excited triplet carbonyl compounds react with DNA not only by triplet-triplet energy transfer yielding pyrimidine dimers, but also by electron transfer yielding preferentially base modifications sensitive to FPG protein, which include 8-hydroxyguanine.     

DNA strand breaks and base modifications induced by cholesterol hydroperoxides

Cholesterol (Ch) can be oxidized by reactive oxygen species, forming oxidized products such as Ch hydroperoxides (ChOOH). These hydroperoxides can disseminate the peroxidative stress to other cell compartments. In this work, the ability of ChOOH to induce strand breaks and/or base modifications in a plasmid DNA model was evaluated. In addition, HPLC/MS/MS analyses were performed to investigate the formation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo) after the incubation of 2'-deoxyguanosine (dGuo) with ChOOH and Cu(2+). In the presence of copper ions, ChOOH induced DNA strand breaks in time and concentration-dependent manners. Purine and pyrimidine base modifications were also observed, as assessed respectively by the treatment with Fpg and Endo III repair enzymes. The detection of 8-oxodGuo by HPLC/MS/MS is in agreement with the dGuo oxidation in plasmid DNA. ChOOH-derived DNA damage adds further support to the role of lipid peroxidation in inducing DNA modifications and mutation.     

Activation of neocarzinostatin chromophore and formation of nascent DNA damage do not require molecular oxygen.

Thiol-activated neocarzinostatin chromophore abstracts tritium from the 5', but not from the 1' or 2' positions of deoxyribose in DNA and incorporates it into a stable, non-exchangeable form. The abstracted tritium remains covalently associated with the chromophore or its degradation product after treatment with acid or alkali, respectively. Drug activation and the consequent hydrogen abstraction reaction, presumably generating a carbon-centered radical at C-5', do not require molecular oxygen but have a dose-dependent relation with thiol. Under aerobic conditions, where base release and DNA strand breaks with nucleoside 5'-aldehyde at the 5'-ends are produced, hydrogen abstraction from C-5' parallels these parameters of DNA damage. It is possible to formulate a reaction scheme in which the carbon- centered radical at C-5' is an intermediate in the formation of the various DNA damage products found under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.     

Peroxyl radical mediated oxidative DNA base damage: implications for lipid peroxidation induced mutagenesis

Endogenous DNA damage induced by lipid peroxidation is believed to play a critical role in carcinogenesis. Lipid peroxidation generates free radical intermediates (primarily peroxyl radicals, ROO(*)) and electrophilic aldehydes as the principal genotoxicants. Although detailed information is available on the role of aldehyde base adducts in mutagenesis and carcinogenesis, the contribution of peroxyl radical mediated DNA base damage is less well understood. In the present study we have mapped oxidative base damage induced by peroxyl radicals in the supF tRNA gene and correlated this information with peroxidation-induced mutations in several human fibroblast cell lines. Nearly identical patterns of oxidative base damage were obtained from reaction of DNA with either peroxidizing arachidonic acid (20:4omega6) or peroxyl radicals generated by thermolysis of ABIP in the presence of oxygen. Oxidative base damage primarily occurred at G and C. Transversions at GC base pairs in the supF gene were the major base substitution detected in all cell lines. Peroxyl radical induced tandem mutations were also observed. Many mutation hot spots coincided with sites of mapped oxidative lesions, although in some cases hot spots occurred adjacent to the damaged base. Evidence is presented for the involvement of 8-oxodG in the oxidation of DNA by ROO(*). These results are used to interpret some key features of previously published mutation spectra induced by lipid peroxidation in human cells.     

Recognition of the DNA helix stabilizing anthramycin-N2 guanine adduct by UVRABC nuclease

The binding of the anti-tumor antibiotic anthramycin to a defined linear DNA fragment was investigated using both exonuclease III and lambda exonuclease. We show that most of the guanine residues are reactive toward anthramycin; however, several guanine residues showed preferential reactivity for the drug. Using purified UVRA, UVRB and UVRC proteins we present evidence that these three proteins in concert are able to recognize and produce specific strand cleavage flanking anthramycin-DNA adducts. The cleavage of anthramycin adducts by UVRABC nuclease is specific and results in strand breaks at five or six bases 5' and three or four bases 3'-flanking an adduct. At some guanine residues single incisions were observed only on one side of the adduct. The 5' strand breaks observed often occurred as doublet bands on sequencing gels, indicating plasticity in the site of 5' cleavage whereas the 3' cleavage did not show this effect. When DNA fragments modified with elevated levels of anthramycin were used as substrates the activity of the UVRABC nuclease toward the anthramycin adducts decreased. Possible mechanisms for the recognition and specific cleavage of the helix-stabilizing anthramycin DNA adduct and other helix destabilizing lesions by the UVRABC nuclease are discussed.     

Yield of DNA strand breaks after base oxidation of plasmid DNA

We have irradiated aerobic aqueous solutions of plasmid DNA with 137Cs gamma rays in the presence of inorganic radical scavengers including nitrite, iodide, azide, thiocyanate and bromide. These scavengers react with the strongly oxidizing hydroxyl radical (*OH) to produce less powerful oxidants. Of these scavengers, only thiocyanate and bromide result in the formation of oxidizing species [(SCN)2*- and Br2*-, respectively] which are capable of reacting with the bases in DNA. The oxidized bases were detected after incubation of the irradiated plasmid with the two E. coli DNA base excision repair endonucleases, formamidopyrimidine-DNA N-glycosylase and endonuclease III. Depending on the experimental conditions, the intermediate base radicals may ultimately form stable oxidized bases in very high yields (within an order of magnitude of the *OH yield), and possibly also single-strand breaks (SSBs) in much lower yield (between 0.1 and 1% of the total yield of base damage). By competing for (SCN)2*- with an additional species (nitrite), it was possible to estimate the second-order rate constant for the reaction of (SCN)2*- with DNA as 1.6 x 10(4) dm3 mol(-1) s(-1), and also to demonstrate a correlation between the large yield of damaged bases and the much smaller increase in the yield of SSBs over background levels due to *OH. The efficiency of transfer of damage from oxidized base to sugar is estimated as about 0.5% or 5%, depending on whether purine or pyrimidine base radicals are responsible for the base to sugar damage transfer.