Photosensitization by antitumor agents. 5. Daunorubicin-photosensitized oxidation of NAD(P)H in aqueous and N,N-dimethylformamide/aqueous solutions--an electron paramagnetic resonance study

An EPR spectrum of the semiquinone radical of daunorubicin (D) was recorded upon illumination (480 nm) of the drug and NAD(P)H in deaerated aqueous and DMF/aqueous solutions. In the latter solvent system, an EPR spectrum with hyperfine structure was recorded. The kinetics of the photoinduced generation and decrease of the EPR signal intensity in the dark were measured. Second order rate constants for the radical recombination were derived for the two solvent systems. Photosensitized production of the superoxide radical, upon illumination of daunorubicin and NAD(P)H, in aerated aqueous or DMF/aqueous solutions, is evidenced by employing a spin trap DMPO (5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide) and an SOD assay. 5-Iminodaunorubicin (5-ID), in contrast to the parent compound (D), does not possess photosensitizing properties.