Investigation of riboflavin sensitized degradation of purine and pyrimidine derivatives of DNA and RNA under UVA and UVB

Riboflavin Has Neuroprotective Potential: Focus on Parkinson's Disease and Migraine

With the huge negative impact of neurological disorders on patient's life and society resources, the discovery of neuroprotective agents is critical and cost-effective. Neuroprotective agents can prevent and/or modify the course of neurological disorders. Despite being underestimated, riboflavin offers neuroprotective mechanisms. Significant pathogenesis-related mechanisms are shared by, but not restricted to, Parkinson's disease (PD) and migraine headache. Those pathogenesis-related mechanisms can be tackled through riboflavin proposed neuroprotective mechanisms. In fact, it has been found that riboflavin ameliorates oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and glutamate excitotoxicity; all of which take part in the pathogenesis of PD, migraine headache, and other neurological disorders. In addition, riboflavin-dependent enzymes have essential roles in pyridoxine activation, tryptophan-kynurenine pathway, and homocysteine metabolism. Indeed, pyridoxal phosphate, the active form of pyridoxine, has been found to have independent neuroprotective potential. Also, the produced kynurenines influence glutamate receptors and its consequent excitotoxicity. In addition, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase requires riboflavin to ensure normal folate cycle influencing the methylation cycle and consequently homocysteine levels which have its own negative neurovascular consequences if accumulated. In conclusion, riboflavin is a potential neuroprotective agent affecting a wide range of neurological disorders exemplified by PD, a disorder of neurodegeneration, and migraine headache, a disorder of pain. In this article, we will emphasize the role of riboflavin in neuroprotection elaborating on its proposed neuroprotective mechanisms in opposite to the pathogenesis-related mechanisms involved in two common neurological disorders, PD and migraine headache, as well as, we encourage the clinical evaluation of riboflavin in PD and migraine headache patients in the future.

Quantitative PCR for detection of DNA damage in mitochondrial DNA of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) has been employed to detect DNA damage and repair in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of human and several model organisms. The assay also permits the quantitation of relative mtDNA copy number in cells. Here, we developed the QPCR assay primers and reaction conditions for the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, an important model of eukaryote biology, not previously described. Under these conditions, long targets (approximately 10kb) in mtDNA were quantitatively amplified using 0.1ng of crude DNA templates without isolation of mitochondria and mtDNA. Quantitative detection of oxidative DNA damage in mtDNA was illustrated by using a DNA template irradiated with UVA in the presence of riboflavin. The damage to mtDNA in S. pombe cells treated with hydrogen peroxide and paraquat was also quantitatively measured. Finally, we found that mtDNA copy number in S. pombe cells increased after transition into a stationary phase and that the damage to mtDNA due to endogenous cellular processes accumulated during chronological aging.

The effectiveness of riboflavin photochemical-mediated virus inactivation and changes in protein retention in fresh-frozen plasma treated using a flow-based treatment device

BACKGROUND

A flow-based treatment device using riboflavin and ultraviolet (UV) light was developed to inactivate viruses in fresh-frozen plasma (FFP). The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro effectiveness of virus inactivation and changes in protein quality in FFP treated with this device.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

FFP-contaminating viruses were treated with riboflavin and UV light using a one-pass linear flow device. The infectivity of viruses was measured using established biologic assays. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to detect damage to viral nucleotides after treatment. Treated plasma was analyzed using standard coagulation assays.

RESULTS

FFP treated at the UV dose of 3.6 J/cm(2) (J) exhibited a mean reduction of virus titer of more than 4 logs. The effectiveness increased significantly at higher doses. Real-time PCR showed that the cycle threshold values for both complete inactivation and virus recultivation were higher than that of the untreated sample. At doses of 3.6, 5.4, and 7.2 J, the protein recovery rates were 60.2 ± 8.6, 46.6 ± 9.4, and 28.0 ± 1.0% for fibrinogen; 67.0 ± 3.1, 57.3 ± 8.0, and 49.2 ± 3.8% for Factor VIII; 93.6 ± 2.8, 89.6 ± 6.1, and 86.5 ± 5.3% for antithrombin-III; and 72.1 ± 5.6, 59.8 ± 14.2, and 49.2 ± 8.4% for Protein C, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The effectiveness of virus inactivation was enhanced, but total activity of plasma factors was reduced, in a UV dose-dependent manner.

Photocatalytic disassembly of tertiary amine-based dendrimers to monomers and their application to the ‘catch and release’ of a dye in aqueous solution

Covalent bond disassembly of tertiary amine based dendrimers and their application to the ‘catch and release’ of a water-insoluble dye are reported.

UVA irradiation of riboflavin generates oxygen-dependent hydroxyl radicals

OBJECTIVES/METHODS

The aim of this study was to verify the formation of hydroxyl radicals (·OH) after ultraviolet A (UVA) irradiation of riboflavin (RF) by spin trapping with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO), and electron spin resonance spectroscopy.

RESULTS

We found that ·OH were generated via hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) formation during UVA irradiation of RF. The ·OH radicals were trapped with DMPO yielding 2-hydroxy-5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (·DMPO-OH). The formed radical adduct (·DMPO-OH) accumulated in the RF solution. Argon equilibration of the RF solution completely blocked the formation of the ·DMPO-OH adduct whereas subsequent aeration restored radical adduct generation. The presence of catalase inhibited ·DMPO-OH generation whereas BSA had no influence on ·DMPO-OH formation. Stopping UVA irradiation led to decay of radical adducts. UVA irradiation of H₂O₂ in the presence of DMPO but without RF also induced the formation of ·DMPO-OH adduct. When adding DMPO to an already irradiated RF solution significantly less ·DMPO-OH was formed during further irradiation. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of RF indicated that RF decayed during UVA irradiation.

DISCUSSION

The formation of ·OH during UVA irradiation of RF may be part of the oxygen-dependent mechanism involved in the cross-linking therapy of collagen in corneal stroma.

Sunlight-induced inactivation of human Wa and porcine OSU rotaviruses in the presence of exogenous photosensitizers

Human rotavirus Wa and porcine rotavirus OSU solutions were irradiated with simulated solar UV and visible light in the presence of different photosensitizers dissolved in buffered solutions. For human rotavirus, the exogenous effects were greater than the endogenous effects under irradiation with full spectrum and UVA and visible light at 25 °C. For porcine rotavirus, the exogenous effects with UVA and visible light irradiation were only observed at high temperatures, >40 °C. The results from dark experiments conducted at different temperatures suggest that porcine rotavirus has higher thermostability than human rotavirus. Concentrations of 3'-MAP excited triplet states of 1.8 fM and above resulted in significant human rotavirus inactivation. The measured excited triplet state concentrations of ≤0.45 fM produced by UVA and visible light irradiation of natural dissolved organic matter solutions were likely not directly responsible for rotavirus inactivation. Instead, the linear correlation for human rotavirus inactivation rate constant (kobs) with the phenol degradation rate constant (kexp) found in both 1 mM NaHCO3 and 1 mM phosphate-buffered solutions suggested that OH radical was a major reactive species for the exogenous inactivation of rotaviruses. Linear correlations between rotavirus kobs and specific UV254 nm absorbance of two river-dissolved organic matter and two effluent organic matter isolates indicated that organic matter aromaticity may help predict formation of radicals responsible for rotavirus inactivation. The results from this study also suggested that the differences in rotavirus strains should be considered when predicting solar inactivation of rotavirus in sunlit surface waters.

Mutual effects between aromatic amino acids and guanosine upon vitamin B2 photosensitization in the presence of visible light

Considering the importance of the visible-light-induced photodynamic effect in complex bioenvironments, mutual effects between the individual aromatic amino acids (AAs) tyrosine (Tyr), tryptophan (Trp), and histidine (His) and the nucleoside guanosine (GUO) were investigated in pH 7 aqueous solution with vitamin B2 (riboflavin (Rf)) as a dye sensitizer. The quantum yields of oxygen uptake (Φ–O2) for most of the AA−GUO mixtures studied, taken as a measure of overall photooxidation susceptibility, are not straightforwardly predictable from the individual behaviour of the components of the mixture. The final result depends on several connected factors, such as the respective abilities of the substrates as quenchers of the long-lived Rf triplet excited state and the generated reactive oxygen species singlet molecular oxygen (O2(1Δg)) and superoxide radical anion ([Formula: see text]). A mechanistic interpretation of the Rf-sensitized results can be roughly resumed as follows: Tyr at pH 7 exerts a protective effect on the photooxidation of the mixture Tyr−GUO due to the O2(1Δg) physical quenching by the AA. The same effect was observed for Trp−GUO and His−GUO at pH 7. In these cases, it is attributed to the quenching of3Rf* by GUO in detriment of the Type II route. For the system Tyr−GUO at pH 9, a marked decrease in the Φ–O2occurred for the mixture as compared with the respective Φ–O2for the individual components. It was ascribed to the participation of a radical-mediated mechanism without oxygen consumption in a competitive pathway with the [Formula: see text]-mediated route.

Protection of riboflavin and UVB sensitized degradation of DNA and RNA bases by natural antioxidants

Riboflavin (RF) is a potent photosensitizer producing extensive degradation of purine and pyrimidine derivatives of nucleic acids under UVA, UVB and sunlight. In this study we have demonstrated that reactive O(2) species generated by photosensitized RF under UVB were responsible for the degradation of DNA and RNA bases. While (1)O(2) accounted for the degradation of adenine, guanine, thymine and uracil, O(2)(-·)also contributed to partial degradation of adenine. Cytosine remained unaffected by the synergistic action of RF and UVB. Ascorbic acid, glutathione, glycolic acid and quercetin showed remarkable protection (88-100%) against photodegradation of bases. Sorbitol was effective in preventing photodegradation of guanine. These naturally occurring antioxidants are potential candidates for prevention against oxidative stress caused by photosensitization.

Role of temperature and Suwannee River natural organic matter on inactivation kinetics of rotavirus and bacteriophage MS2 by solar irradiation

Although the sunlight-mediated inactivation of viruses has been recognized as an important process that controls surface water quality, the mechanisms of virus inactivation by sunlight are not yet clearly understood. We investigated the synergistic role of temperature and Suwannee River natural organic matter (SRNOM), an exogenous sensitizer, for sunlight-mediated inactivation of porcine rotavirus and MS2 bacteriophage. Upon irradiation by a full spectrum of simulated sunlight in the absence of SRNOM and in the temperature range of 14-42 °C, high inactivation rate constants, k(obs), of MS2 (k(obs) ≤ 3.8 h(-1) or 1-log(10) over 0.6 h) and rotavirus (k(obs) ≤ 11.8 h(-1) or ∼1-log(10) over 0.2 h) were measured. A weak temperature (14-42 °C) dependence of k(obs) values was observed for both viruses irradiated by the full sunlight spectrum. Under the same irradiation condition, the presence of SRNOM reduced the inactivation of both viruses due to attenuation of lower wavelengths of the simulated sunlight. For rotavirus and MS2 solutions irradiated by only UVA and visible light in the absence of SRNOM, inactivation kinetics were slow (k(obs) < 0.3 h(-1) or <1-log(10) unit reduction over 7 h) and temperature-independent for the range considered. Conversely, under UVA and visible light irradiation and in the presence of SRNOM, temperature-dependent inactivation of MS2 was observed. For rotavirus, the SRNOM-mediated exogenous inactivation was only important at temperatures >33 °C, with low rotavirus k(obs) values (k(obs) ≈ 0.2 h(-1); 1-log(10) unit reduction over 12 h) for the temperature range of 14-33 °C. These k(obs) values increased to 0.5 h(-1) at 43 °C and 1.5 h(-1) (1-log(10) reduction over 1.6 h) at 50 °C. While SRNOM-mediated exogenous inactivation of MS2 was triggered by singlet oxygen, the presence of hydrogen peroxide was important for rotavirus inactivation in the 40-50 °C range.