Synthesis and UV photolysis of oligodeoxynucleotides that contain 5-(phenylthiomethyl)-2'-deoxyuridine: a specific photolabile precursor of 5-(2'-deoxyuridilyl)methyl radical

Chemical Insights into Oxidative and Nitrative Modifications of DNA

This review focuses on DNA damage caused by a variety of oxidizing, alkylating, and nitrating species, and it may play an important role in the pathophysiology of inflammation, cancer, and degenerative diseases. Infection and chronic inflammation have been recognized as important factors in carcinogenesis. Under inflammatory conditions, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) are generated from inflammatory and epithelial cells, and result in the formation of oxidative and nitrative DNA lesions, such as 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) and 8-nitroguanine. Cellular DNA is continuously exposed to a very high level of genotoxic stress caused by physical, chemical, and biological agents, with an estimated 10,000 modifications occurring every hour in the genetic material of each of our cells. This review highlights recent developments in the chemical biology and toxicology of 2'-deoxyribose oxidation products in DNA.

Oxidatively generated tandem DNA modifications by pyrimidinyl and 2-deoxyribosyl peroxyl radicals

Molecular oxygen sensitizes DNA to damage induced by ionizing radiation, Fenton-like reactions, and other free radical-mediated reactions. It rapidly converts carbon-centered radicals within DNA into peroxyl radicals, giving rise to a plethora of oxidized products consisting of nucleobase and 2-deoxyribose modifications, strand breaks and abasic sites. The mechanism of formation of single oxidation products has been extensively studied and reviewed. However, much evidence shows that reactive peroxyl radicals can propagate damage to vicinal components in DNA strands. These intramolecular reactions lead to the dual alteration of two adjacent nucleotides, designated as tandem or double lesions. Herein, current knowledge about the formation and biological implications of oxidatively generated DNA tandem lesions is reviewed. Thus far, most reported tandem lesions have been shown to arise from peroxyl radicals initially generated at pyrimidine bases, notably thymine, followed by reaction with 5'-flanking bases, especially guanine, although contiguous thymine lesions have also been characterized. Proper biomolecular processing is impaired by several tandem lesions making them refractory to base excision repair and potentially more mutagenic.

Photoreaction of DNA Containing 5-Halouracil and its Products

5-Halouracil, which is a DNA base analog in which the methyl group at the C5 position of thymine is replaced with a halogen atom, has been used in studies of DNA damage. In DNA strands, the uracil radical generated from 5-halouracil causes DNA damage via a hydrogen-abstraction reaction. We analyzed the photoreaction of 5-halouracil in various DNA structures and revealed that the reaction is DNA structure-dependent. In this review, we summarize the results of the analysis of the reactivity of 5-halouracil in various DNA local structures. Among the 5-halouracil molecules, 5-bromouracil has been used as a probe in the analysis of photoinduced electron transfer through DNA. The analysis of groove-binder/DNA and protein/DNA complexes using a 5-bromouracil-based electron transfer system is also described.

Tandem Lesions Arising from 5-(Uracilyl)methyl Peroxyl Radical Addition to Guanine: Product Analysis and Mechanistic Studies

The reaction of hydroxyl radical (HO^•) with thymine in DNA generates 5-(uracilyl)-methyl radicals (T^•) and the corresponding methylperoxyl radical (TOO^•) in the presence of O₂, which in turn propagates damage by reacting with a vicinal nucleobase. This leads to so-called double or tandem lesions. Because methyl oxidation products of thymine are major products, we investigated the reactivity of TOO^• using a photolabile precursor: 5-(phenylthiomethyl)uracil (T^SPh). The precursor was prepared and incorporated into a DNA trinucleotide: 5'-d(GpT^SPhpA)-3' (G-T^SPh-A). Upon photolysis, the resulting products were characterized by LC-MS/MS. Thereby, we identified four tandem lesions involving GpT, which include either 2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine (fapyG) or 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (oxoG) in tandem with either 5-formyluracil (fU) or 5-hydroxymethyluracil (hmU). The formation of these tandem lesions is explained by initial addition of TOO^• to the C8 of guanine moiety, giving an N7-guanine cross-linked radical. The latter radical undergoes either reduction to an 7,8-saturated endoperoxide or oxidation to an 7,8-unsaturated endoperoxide, which transform into fapyG-fU-A and oxoG-fU-A, respectively. This is supported by the effect of a reducing (dithiothreitol) and oxidizing agent (Fe³⁺) on product formation. This study expands the repertoire of tandem lesions that can occur at GpT sequences and underlines the importance of redox environment.

Theoretical studies on the purine radical induced purine-purine type intrastrand cross-links

At the density functional theory (DFT) level, addition reactions between the guanine-8-yl radical and its 3'/5' neighboring purine deoxynucleosides forming the purine-purine type intrastrand cross-links were studied. It is found that addition of the guanine-8-yl radical to the C8 site of its 5' neighboring deoxyguanosine or deoxyadenosine is a two-step reaction consisting of a structurally relatively unfavourable conformational transformation step, while the corresponding 3' C8 addition is straightforward and kinetically more efficient. The 3' C8 preference of the guanine-8-yl radical additions indicates the existence of an obvious sequence effect, which is completely opposite to that observed in the formation of pyrimidine radicals induced DNA intrastrand cross-links. The detrimental effects from steric hindrance and stabilizing weak interactions make these addition reactions markedly suppressed in double stranded DNA. This work broadens our knowledge about the possible types of DNA intrastrand cross-links.

DNA intrastrand cross-links induced by the purine-type deoxyguanosine-8-yl radical: a DFT study

Currently, all known DNA intrastrand cross-links are found to be induced by pyrimidine-type radicals; however, whether or not purine-type radicals are able to cause DNA intrastrand cross-links remains unclear. In the present study, probable additions of the highly reactive deoxyguanosine-8-yl radical to its 3'/5' neighboring pyrimidine nucleotides in four model compounds, 5'-G˙T-3', 5'-TG˙-3', 5'-G˙C-3', and 5'-CG˙-3', were studied using density functional theory (DFT) methods. In single-stranded DNA, the deoxyguanosine-8-yl radical is preferred to efficiently attack the C5 site of its 3' neighboring deoxythymidine or deoxycytidine, forming the G[8-5]T or G[8-5]C intrastrand cross-link rather than the C6 site forming the G[8-6]T or G[8-6]C intrastrand cross-link. The four corresponding sequence isomers, namely T[5-8]G, T[6-8]G, C[5-8]G, and C[6-8]G, formed by additions of deoxyguanosine-8-yl radical to its 5' neighboring pyrimidine nucleotides are predicted to be formed inefficiently. In double-stranded DNA, considering the detrimental effects of stabilizing weak interactions on related structural adjustments required in each addition reaction path, relatively lower reaction yields are suggested for the G[8-5]T and G[8-5]C intrastrand cross-links, while the formation of the other six intrastrand cross-links becomes quite difficult. All calculations definitely demonstrate that, in addition to pyrimidine-type radicals, the purine-type deoxyguanosine-8-yl radical is able to attack its 3'/5' neighboring pyrimidine nucleotides forming several DNA intrastrand cross-links.

Formation of pyrimidine-pyrimidine type DNA intrastrand cross-links: a theoretical verification

Pyrimidine-type radicals have been demonstrated to be able to attack their 3' or 5' neighboring purine nucleotides forming diverse DNA intrastrand cross-links, but whether or not these radicals can attack their surrounding pyrimidine nucleotides forming pyrimidine-pyrimidine type DNA intrastrand cross-links remains unclear. To resolve this question, probable additions of the uracil-5-methyl (˙U_CH2) radical to the C₅[double bond, length as m-dash]C₆ double bond of its 3'/5' neighboring pyrimidine nucleotides in the four models, 5'-T(˙U_CH2)-3', 5'-C(˙U_CH2)-3', 5'-(˙U_CH2)T-3', and 5'-(˙U_CH2)C-3', are explored in the present work employing density functional theory (DFT) methods. The C₆ site of its 5' neighboring thymidine is the preferred target for ˙U_CH2 radical addition, while additions of the ˙U_CH2 radical to the C₆ and C₅ sites of its 5' neighboring deoxycytidine are found to be competitive reactions. The ˙U_CH2 radical can react with both the C₆ and C₅ sites of its 3' neighboring pyrimidine nucleotides, but the efficiencies of these reactions are predicted to be much lower than those of the corresponding addition reactions to its 5' neighboring pyrimidine nucleotides, indicating the existence of an obvious sequence effect. All the addition products could be finally transformed into closed-shell intrastrand cross-links, the molecular masses of which are found to be exactly the same as certain MS values determined in a recent study of an X-irradiated deoxygenated aqueous solution of calf thymus DNA. The present study thus not only definitely corroborates the fact that the reactive ˙U_CH2 radical can attack its 3'/5' neighboring pyrimidine nucleotides forming several pyrimidine-pyrimidine type DNA intrastrand cross-links, but also provides a plausible explanation for the identities of these structurally unknown intrastrand cross-links.

Mechanism studies of addition reactions between the pyrimidine type radicals and their 3′/5′ neighboring deoxyguanosines

To clarify the biologically significant sequence effect existing in the formation of the pyrimidine-type radicals induced DNA intrastrand cross-links, addition mechanisms between the uridine-5-methyl (˙U_CH2), 6-hydroxy-5,6-dihydrothymidine-5-yl (˙T_6OH), and 6-hydroxy-5,6-dihydrocytidine-5-yl (˙C_6OH) radicals and their 3′/5′ neighboring deoxyguanosines (dG) are explored in the present study employing the model 5′-G(˙U_CH2)-3′, 5′-(˙U_CH2)G-3′, 5′-G(˙T_6OH)-3′, 5′-(˙T_6OH)G-3′, 5′-G(˙C_6OH)-3′, and 5′-(˙C_6OH)G-3′ sequences. It is found that the 5′ G/C₈ additions of the three radicals are all simple direct one-step reactions inducing only relatively small structural changes, while a conformational adjustment involving orientation transitions of both nucleobase moieties and twisting of the DNA backbone is indispensable for each 3′ G/C₈ addition. Furthermore, markedly positive reaction free energy requirements are estimated for these conformational transformations making the 3′ G/C₈ additions of the three radicals thermodynamically much more unfavorable than the corresponding 5′ G/C₈ additions. Such essential conformational adjustments along the 3′ G/C₈ addition paths that structurally greatly influence the local DNA structures and thermodynamically substantially reduce the addition efficiencies may be the reasons responsible for the differences in the formation yields and biological consequences of the pyrimidine-type radicals induced DNA intrastrand cross-link lesions.

For each radical, the 5′ G/C₈ addition is a simple direct one-step reaction, while a structurally significant and thermodynamically markedly unfavorable conformational adjustment is indispensable for the 3′ G/C₈ addition.

Translesion synthesis past guanine(C8)-thymine(N3) intrastrand cross-links catalyzed by selected A- and Y-family polymerases

Oxidatively generated guanine radicals in DNA can undergo various nucleophilic reactions including the formation of C8-guanine cross-links with adjacent or nearby N3-thymines in DNA in the presence of O2. These G[8-3]T lesions have been identified in the DNA of human cells exposed to oxidative stress, and are most likely genotoxic if not removed by cellular defence mechanisms. The abilities of several representative polymerases to bypass the G[8-3]T lesions in two different sequence contexts, G*T* and G*CT*, were assessed in vitro. The polymerase BF (bacillus fragment) from Bacillus stearothermophilus, the Y-family archaeal polymerases Dpo4 from Sulfolobus sulfataricus P2, and human DNA pol κ and pol η were selected for the study. The A-family polymerase BF was strongly blocked, while relatively weak translesion synthesis was observed in the case of Y-family polymerases Dpo4 and pol κ. Primer extension catalyzed by pol η was also partially stalled at various positions at or near the G[8-3]T cross-linked bases, but a significant and distributive primer extension was observed beyond the sites of the lesions with the efficiency being consistently greater in the case of G*CT* than in the case of G*T* lesions. The results obtained with pol η are compared with translesion synthesis past other intrastrand cross-linked lesions with previously published results of others that include the isomeric G[8-5m]T lesions generated by ionizing radiation, the cis-syn cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer and the 6-4 photoproduct generated by UV irradiation, and the Pt-G*G* lesions derived from the reactions of the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin with DNA.

Formation and repair of oxidatively generated damage in cellular DNA

In this review article, emphasis is placed on the critical survey of available data concerning modified nucleobase and 2-deoxyribose products that have been identified in cellular DNA following exposure to a wide variety of oxidizing species and agents including, hydroxyl radical, one-electron oxidants, singlet oxygen, hypochlorous acid and ten-eleven translocation enzymes. In addition, information is provided about the generation of secondary oxidation products of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine and nucleobase addition products with reactive aldehydes arising from the decomposition of lipid peroxides. It is worth noting that the different classes of oxidatively generated DNA damage that consist of single lesions, intra- and interstrand cross-links were unambiguously assigned and quantitatively detected on the basis of accurate measurements involving in most cases high performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The reported data clearly show that the frequency of DNA lesions generated upon severe oxidizing conditions, including exposure to ionizing radiation is low, at best a few modifications per 106 normal bases. Application of accurate analytical measurement methods has also allowed the determination of repair kinetics of several well-defined lesions in cellular DNA that however concerns so far only a restricted number of cases.

Occurrence, Biological Consequences, and Human Health Relevance of Oxidative Stress-Induced DNA Damage

A variety of endogenous and exogenous agents can induce DNA damage and lead to genomic instability. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), an important class of DNA damaging agents, are constantly generated in cells as a consequence of endogenous metabolism, infection/inflammation, and/or exposure to environmental toxicants. A wide array of DNA lesions can be induced by ROS directly, including single-nucleobase lesions, tandem lesions, and hypochlorous acid (HOCl)/hypobromous acid (HOBr)-derived DNA adducts. ROS can also lead to lipid peroxidation, whose byproducts can also react with DNA to produce exocyclic DNA lesions. A combination of bioanalytical chemistry, synthetic organic chemistry, and molecular biology approaches have provided significant insights into the occurrence, repair, and biological consequences of oxidatively induced DNA lesions. The involvement of these lesions in the etiology of human diseases and aging was also investigated in the past several decades, suggesting that the oxidatively induced DNA adducts, especially bulky DNA lesions, may serve as biomarkers for exploring the role of oxidative stress in human diseases. The continuing development and improvement of LC-MS/MS coupled with the stable isotope-dilution method for DNA adduct quantification will further promote research about the clinical implications and diagnostic applications of oxidatively induced DNA adducts.

Mass spectrometry for the assessment of the occurrence and biological consequences of DNA adducts

Exogenous and endogenous sources of chemical species can react, directly or after metabolic activation, with DNA to yield DNA adducts. If not repaired, DNA adducts may compromise cellular functions by blocking DNA replication and/or inducing mutations. Unambiguous identification of the structures and accurate measurements of the levels of DNA adducts in cellular and tissue DNA constitute the first and important step towards understanding the biological consequences of these adducts. The advances in mass spectrometry (MS) instrumentation in the past 2-3 decades have rendered MS an important tool for structure elucidation, quantification, and revelation of the biological consequences of DNA adducts. In this review, we summarized the development of MS techniques on these fronts for DNA adduct analysis. We placed our emphasis of discussion on sample preparation, the combination of MS with gas chromatography- or liquid chromatography (LC)-based separation techniques for the quantitative measurement of DNA adducts, and the use of LC-MS along with molecular biology tools for understanding the human health consequences of DNA adducts. The applications of mass spectrometry-based DNA adduct analysis for predicting the therapeutic outcome of anti-cancer agents, for monitoring the human exposure to endogenous and environmental genotoxic agents, and for DNA repair studies were also discussed.

Oxidatively induced DNA damage and its repair in cancer

Oxidatively induced DNA damage is caused in living organisms by endogenous and exogenous reactive species. DNA lesions resulting from this type of damage are mutagenic and cytotoxic and, if not repaired, can cause genetic instability that may lead to disease processes including carcinogenesis. Living organisms possess DNA repair mechanisms that include a variety of pathways to repair multiple DNA lesions. Mutations and polymorphisms also occur in DNA repair genes adversely affecting DNA repair systems. Cancer tissues overexpress DNA repair proteins and thus develop greater DNA repair capacity than normal tissues. Increased DNA repair in tumors that removes DNA lesions before they become toxic is a major mechanism for development of resistance to therapy, affecting patient survival. Accumulated evidence suggests that DNA repair capacity may be a predictive biomarker for patient response to therapy. Thus, knowledge of DNA protein expressions in normal and cancerous tissues may help predict and guide development of treatments and yield the best therapeutic response. DNA repair proteins constitute targets for inhibitors to overcome the resistance of tumors to therapy. Inhibitors of DNA repair for combination therapy or as single agents for monotherapy may help selectively kill tumors, potentially leading to personalized therapy. Numerous inhibitors have been developed and are being tested in clinical trials. The efficacy of some inhibitors in therapy has been demonstrated in patients. Further development of inhibitors of DNA repair proteins is globally underway to help eradicate cancer.

Fragmentation of electrospray-produced deprotonated ions of oligodeoxyribonucleotides containing an alkylated or oxidized thymidine

Alkylation and oxidation constitute major routes of DNA damage induced by endogenous and exogenous genotoxic agents. Understanding the biological consequences of DNA lesions often necessitates the availability of oligodeoxyribonucleotide (ODN) substrates harboring these lesions, and sensitive and robust methods for validating the identities of these ODNs. Tandem mass spectrometry is well suited for meeting these latter analytical needs. In the present study, we evaluated how the incorporation of an ethyl group to different positions (i.e., O(2), N3, and O(4)) of thymine and the oxidation of its 5-methyl carbon impact collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) pathways of electrospray-produced deprotonated ions of ODNs harboring these thymine modifications. Unlike an unmodified thymine, which often manifests poor cleavage of the C3'-O3' bond, the incorporation of an alkyl group to the O(2) position and, to a much lesser extent, the O(4) position, but not the N3 position of thymine, led to facile cleavage of the C3'-O3' bond on the 3' side of the modified thymine. Similar efficient chain cleavage was observed when thymine was oxidized to 5-formyluracil or 5-carboxyluracil, but not 5-hydroxymethyluracil. Additionally, with the support of computational modeling, we revealed that proton affinity and acidity of the modified nucleobases govern the fragmentation of ODNs containing the alkylated and oxidized thymidine derivatives, respectively. These results provided important insights into the effects of thymine modifications on ODN fragmentation.

Are dinucleoside monophosphates relevant models for the study of DNA intrastrand cross-link lesions? The example of g[8-5m]T

Oxidatively generated tandem lesions such as G[8-5m]T pose a potent threat to genome integrity. Direct experimental studies of the kinetics and thermodynamics of a specific lesion within DNA are very challenging, mostly due to the variety of products that can be formed in oxidative conditions. Dinucleoside monophosphates (DM) involving only the reactive nucleobases in water represent appealing alternative models on which most physical chemistry and structural techniques can be applied. However, it is not yet clear how relevant these models are. Here, we present QM/MM MD simulations of the cyclization step involved in the formation of G[8-5m]T from the guanine-thymine (GpT) DM in water, with the aim of comparing our results to our previous investigation of the same reaction in DNA ( Garrec , J. , Patel , C. , Rothlisberger , U. , and Dumont , E. ( 2012 ) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134 , 2111 - 2119 ). We show that, despite the different levels of preorganization of the two systems, the corresponding reactions share many energetic and structural characteristics. The main difference lies in the angle between the G and T bases, which is slightly higher in the transition state (TS) and product of the reaction in water than in the reaction in DNA. This effect is due to the Watson-Crick H-bonds, which are absent in the {GpT+water} system and restrain the relative positioning of the reactive nucleobases in DNA. However, since the lesion is accommodated easily in the DNA macromolecule, the induced energetic penalty is relatively small. The high similarity between the two reactions strongly supports the use of GpT in water as a model of the corresponding reaction in DNA.

Generation of guanine-amino acid cross-links by a free radical combination mechanism

A direct method has been developed for the in vitro synthesis of stable DNA-protein cross-links (DPC's) between guanine and amino acids (lysine and arginine). This method employs the combination of guanine neutral radicals, G(-H)˙, and side-chain C-centered amino acid radicals. The latter were generated indirectly after first causing the selective photoionization of 2-aminopurine (2AP) embedded in the oligonucleotide, 5'-d(CC[2AP]TCGCTACC), by intense nanosecond 308 nm excimer laser pulses. The 2AP radical cation deprotonates rapidly to form the 2AP(-H)˙ neutral radical which, in turn, oxidizes the nearby guanine to form the neutral guanine G(-H)˙ radical, as described previously (Shafirovich et al., J. Phys. Chem. B, 2001, 105, 8431). In parallel, the hydrated electrons, generated by the photoionization of 2AP, are scavenged by nitrous oxide to generate hydroxyl radicals. In the presence of a large excess of the amino acids, the hydroxyl radicals oxidize the latter to produce C-centered amino acid radicals that combine with the G(-H)˙ radicals to form the guanine-amino acid cross-linked oligonucleotide product. Analogous products were generated by photoionizing the free nucleoside, 2',3',5'-tri-O-acetylguanosine, (tri-O-Ac-Guo), using intense nanosecond 266 nm Nd:YAG laser pulse irradiation. The guanine-amino acid cross-links thus produced site-specifically positioned either in oligonucleotides, or in the free nucleoside tri-O-Ac-Guo were isolated by HPLC methods and identified by high resolution LC-TOF/MS and LC-MS/MS methods. The possibility that analogous guanine-amino acid cross-linked products could be formed in vivo using single hit radical generation mechanisms during oxidative stress is discussed.

One-electron oxidation reactions of purine and pyrimidine bases in cellular DNA

PURPOSE

The aim of this survey is to critically review the available information on one-electron oxidation reactions of nucleobases in cellular DNA with emphasis on damage induced through the transient generation of purine and pyrimidine radical cations. Since the indirect effect of ionizing radiation mediated by hydroxyl radical is predominant in cells, efforts have been made to selectively ionize bases using suitable one-electron oxidants that consist among others of high intensity UVC laser pulses. Thus, the main oxidation product in cellular DNA was found to be 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine as a result of direct bi-photonic ionization of guanine bases and indirect formation of guanine radical cations through hole transfer reactions from other base radical cations. The formation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine and other purine and pyrimidine degradation products was rationalized in terms of the initial generation of related radical cations followed by either hydration or deprotonation reactions in agreement with mechanistic pathways inferred from detailed mechanistic studies. The guanine radical cation has been shown to be implicated in three other nucleophilic additions that give rise to DNA-protein and DNA-DNA cross-links in model systems. Evidence was recently provided for the occurrence of these three reactions in cellular DNA.

CONCLUSION

There is growing evidence that one-electron oxidation reactions of nucleobases whose mechanisms have been characterized in model studies involving aqueous solutions take place in a similar way in cells. It may also be pointed out that the above cross-linked lesions are only produced from the guanine radical cation and may be considered as diagnostic products of the direct effect of ionizing radiation.

Induction of 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyadenosine and 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyguanosine in isolated DNA by Fenton-type reagents

Exposure of aqueous solutions of DNA to X- or γ-rays, which induces the hydroxyl radical as one of the major reactive oxygen species (ROS), can result in the generation of a battery of single-nucleobase and bulky DNA lesions. These include the (5'R) and (5'S) diastereomers of 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyadenosine (cdA) and 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyguanosine (cdG), which were also found to be present at appreciable levels in DNA isolated from mammalian cells and tissues. However, it remains unexplored how efficiently the cdA and cdG can be induced by Fenton-type reagents. By employing HPLC coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS/MS) with the use of the isotope-dilution technique, here we demonstrated that treatment of calf thymus DNA with Cu(II) or Fe(II), together with H2O2 and ascorbate, could lead to dose-responsive formation of both the (5'R) and (5'S) diastereomers of cdA and cdG, though the yields of cdG were 2-4 orders of magnitude lower than that of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine. This result suggests that the Fenton reaction may constitute an important endogenous source for the formation of the cdA and cdG. Additionally, the (5'R) diastereomers of cdA and cdG were induced at markedly higher levels than the (5'S) counterparts. This latter finding, in conjunction with the previous observations of similar or greater levels of the (5'S) than (5'R) diastereomers of the two lesions in mammalian tissues, furnishes an additional line of evidence to support the more efficient repair of the (5'R) diastereomers of the purine cyclonucleosides in mammalian cells.

Oxidation and reduction of the 5-(2'-deoxyuridinyl)methyl radical

Sleeping beauty: The 5-(2’-Deoxyuridinyl) methyl radical 1 is a key intermediate in the thymine oxidative reaction mediated by reactive oxygen species. Evidence is presented that 1 is prone to both oxidation and reduction reactions at the absence of O2. These results question the current paradigm and suggest that the redox chemistry of 1 , which has been largely overlooked in the past, may play a major role in determining the fate of 1 .

Hypoxia-selective DNA interstrand cross-link formation by two modified nucleosides

The clean crossed code: Two nitroimidazole-modified thymidines 1 a and 1 b were synthesized and incorporated into DNA oligomers. The 350 nm photolysis of 1 a and 1 b generated a 5-(2'-deoxyuridinyl)methyl radical that induced DNA interstrand cross-links (ICL; see scheme). A higher ICL yield was observed under hypoxic conditions than under aerobic conditions.

Endogenous formation and repair of oxidatively induced G[8-5 m]T intrastrand cross-link lesion

Exposure to reactive oxygen species (ROS) can give rise to the formation of various DNA damage products. Among them, d(G[8-5 m]T) can be induced in isolated DNA treated with Fenton reagents and in cultured human cells exposed to γ-rays, d(G[8-5m]T) can be recognized and incised by purified Escherichia coli UvrABC nuclease. However, it remains unexplored whether d(G[8-5 m]T) accumulates in mammalian tissues and whether it is a substrate for nucleotide excision repair (NER) in vivo. Here, we found that d(G[8-5 m]T) could be detected in DNA isolated from tissues of healthy humans and animals, and elevated endogenous ROS generation enhanced the accumulation of this lesion in tissues of a rat model of Wilson's disease. Additionally, XPA-deficient human brain and mouse liver as well as various types of tissues of ERCC1-deficient mice contained higher levels of d(G[8-5 m]T) but not ROS-induced single-nucleobase lesions than the corresponding normal controls. Together, our studies established that d(G[8-5 m]T) can be induced endogenously in mammalian tissues and constitutes a substrate for NER in vivo.

Mechanisms of free radical-induced damage to DNA

Endogenous and exogenous sources cause free radical-induced DNA damage in living organisms by a variety of mechanisms. The highly reactive hydroxyl radical reacts with the heterocyclic DNA bases and the sugar moiety near or at diffusion-controlled rates. Hydrated electron and H atom also add to the heterocyclic bases. These reactions lead to adduct radicals, further reactions of which yield numerous products. These include DNA base and sugar products, single- and double-strand breaks, 8,5'-cyclopurine-2'-deoxynucleosides, tandem lesions, clustered sites and DNA-protein cross-links. Reaction conditions and the presence or absence of oxygen profoundly affect the types and yields of the products. There is mounting evidence for an important role of free radical-induced DNA damage in the etiology of numerous diseases including cancer. Further understanding of mechanisms of free radical-induced DNA damage, and cellular repair and biological consequences of DNA damage products will be of outmost importance for disease prevention and treatment.

Reactivity of nucleosides with a hydroxyl radical in non-aqueous medium

DNA damage: The reactivity of HO(.) with silylated 2'-deoxyribonucleosides was investigated in acetonitrile by means of a time-resolved technique. The obtained rate constants were in general slightly lower than those reported for the natural nucleosides in water. Analysis of the reaction mixture by UPLC-MS revealed that HO(.) attack occurred at the nucleobase (see scheme).

Oxidatively induced DNA damage: mechanisms, repair and disease

Endogenous and exogenous sources cause oxidatively induced DNA damage in living organisms by a variety of mechanisms. The resulting DNA lesions are mutagenic and, unless repaired, lead to a variety of mutations and consequently to genetic instability, which is a hallmark of cancer. Oxidatively induced DNA damage is repaired in living cells by different pathways that involve a large number of proteins. Unrepaired and accumulated DNA lesions may lead to disease processes including carcinogenesis. Mutations also occur in DNA repair genes, destabilizing the DNA repair system. A majority of cancer cell lines have somatic mutations in their DNA repair genes. In addition, polymorphisms in these genes constitute a risk factor for cancer. In general, defects in DNA repair are associated with cancer. Numerous DNA repair enzymes exist that possess different, but sometimes overlapping substrate specificities for removal of oxidatively induced DNA lesions. In addition to the role of DNA repair in carcinogenesis, recent evidence suggests that some types of tumors possess increased DNA repair capacity that may lead to therapy resistance. DNA repair pathways are drug targets to develop DNA repair inhibitors to increase the efficacy of cancer therapy. Oxidatively induced DNA lesions and DNA repair proteins may serve as potential biomarkers for early detection, cancer risk assessment, prognosis and for monitoring therapy. Taken together, a large body of accumulated evidence suggests that oxidatively induced DNA damage and its repair are important factors in the development of human cancers. Thus this field deserves more research to contribute to the development of cancer biomarkers, DNA repair inhibitors and treatment approaches to better understand and fight cancer.

Generation of guanine-thymidine cross-links in DNA by peroxynitrite/carbon dioxide

Nitrosoperoxycarbonate derived from the combination of carbon dioxide and peroxynitrite is an important chemical mediator of inflammation. In aqueous solutions, it rapidly decomposes to the reactive species CO(3)(•-) and (•)NO(2) radicals that are known to initiate the selective oxidation and nitration of guanine in DNA. We have previously demonstrated that the reactions of carbonate radical anions with guanine in 2'-deoxyoligoribonucleotides generate a previously unknown intrastrand cross-linked guanine-thymine product G*-T* with a covalent bond between the C8 (G*) and the thymine N3 (T*) atoms (Crean Nucleic Acids Res. 2008, 36, 742-755). In this work, we demonstrate that G*-T* cross-linked products are also formed when peroxynitrite (0.1 mM) reacts with native DNA in aqueous solutions (pH 7.5-7.7) containing 25 mM carbon dioxide/bicarbonate, in addition to the well-known nitration/oxidation products of guanine such as 8-nitroguanine (8-nitro-G), 5-guanidino-4-nitroimidazole (NIm), 8-oxo-7,8-dehydroguanine (8-oxo-G), and spiroiminodihydantoin (Sp). The yields of these products, after enzymatic digestion with P1 nuclease and alkaline phosphatase to the nucleotide level and reversed phase HPLC separation, were compared with those obtained with the uniformly, isotopically labeled (15)N,(13)C-labeled 2'-deoxy oligoribonucleotides 5'-dGpT and 5'-dGpCpT. The d(G*pT*) and d(G*-T*) cross-linked products derived from the di- and trioligonucleotides, respectively, were used as standards for identifying the analogous lesions in calf thymus DNA by isotope dilution LC-MS/MS methods in the selected reaction monitoring mode. The NIm and 8-nitro-G are the major products formed (∼0.05% each), and lesser amounts of 8-oxo-G (∼0.02%) and d(G*pT*) and d(G*-T*) enzymatic digestion products (∼0.002% each) were found. It is shown that the formation of d(G*pT*) enzyme digestion product can arise only from intrastrand cross-links, whereas d(G*-T*) can arise from both interstrand and intrastrand cross-linked products.

Discovery and synthesis of new UV-induced intrastrand C(4-8)G and G(8-4)C photolesions

UV irradiation of cellular DNA leads to the formation of a number of defined mutagenic DNA lesions. Here we report the discovery of new intrastrand C(4-8)G and G(8-4)C cross-link lesions in which the C(4) amino group of the cytosine base is covalently linked to the C(8) position of an adjacent dG base. The structure of the novel lesions was clarified by HPLC-MS/MS data for UV-irradiated DNA in combination with chemical synthesis and direct comparison of the synthetic material with irradiated DNA. We also report the ability to generate the lesions directly in DNA with the help of a photoactive precursor that was site-specifically incorporated into DNA. This should enable detailed chemical and biochemical investigations of these lesions.

Oxidatively generated base damage to cellular DNA

Search for the formation of oxidatively base damage in cellular DNA has been a matter of debate for more than 40 years due to the lack of accurate methods for the measurement of the lesions. HPLC associated with either tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) or electrochemical detector (ECD) together with optimized DNA extraction conditions constitutes a relevant analytical approach. This has allowed the accurate measurement of oxidatively generated single and clustered base damage in cellular DNA following exposure to acute oxidative stress conditions mediated by ionizing radiation, UVA light and one-electron oxidants. In this review the formation of 11 single base lesions that is accounted for by reactions of singlet oxygen, hydroxyl radical or high intensity UVC laser pulses with nucleobases is discussed on the basis of the mechanisms available from model studies. In addition several clustered lesions were found to be generated in cellular DNA as the result of one initial radical hit on either a vicinal base or the 2-deoxyribose. Information on nucleobase modifications that are formed upon addition of reactive aldehydes arising from the breakdown of lipid hydroperoxides is also provided.

Photolabile N-hydroxypyrid-2(1H)-one derivatives of guanine nucleosides: a new method for independent guanine radical generation

One-electron oxidized guanine is an important reactive intermediate in the formation of oxidatively generated damage in DNA and a variety of methods have been utilized for the abstraction of a single electron from the guanine moiety. In this study, an alternative approach for the site specific, independent generation of the guanine radical, utilizing N-hydroxypyrid-2(1H)-one as a photolabile modifier of guanine, is proposed. Novel photolabile 6-[(1-oxido-2-pyridinyl)oxo]-6-deoxy- and 2',6-dideoxy-guanosine derivatives capable of generating the neutral guanine radical (G(-H)*) upon photolysis were synthesized and characterized. The generation of G(-H)* proceeds through homolysis of the N-O bond and was confirmed through continuous photolysis product analysis and trapping studies, as well as laser flash photolysis experiments.

The mutagenicity of thymidine glycol in Escherichia coli is increased when it is part of a tandem lesion

Tandem lesions are comprised of two contiguously damaged nucleotides. Tandem lesions make up the major family of reaction products generated from a pyrimidine nucleobase radical, which are formed in large amounts by ionizing radiation. One of these tandem lesions contains a thymidine glycol lesion flanked on its 5'-side by 2-deoxyribonolactone (LTg). The replication of this tandem lesion was investigated in Escherichia coli using single-stranded genomes. LTg is a much more potent replication block than thymidine glycol and is bypassed only under SOS-induced conditions. The adjacent thymidine glycol does not significantly affect nucleotide incorporation opposite 2-deoxyribonolactone in wild-type cells. In contrast, the misinsertion frequency opposite thymidine glycol, which is negligible in the absence of 2-deoxyribonolactone, increases to 10% in wild-type cells when LTg is flanked by a 3'-dG. Experiments in which the flanking nucleotides are varied and in cells lacking one of the SOS-induced bypass polymerases indicate that the mutations are due to a mechanism in which the primer misaligns prior to bypassing the lesion, which allows for an additional nucleotide to be incorporated across from the 3'-flanking nucleotide. Subsequent realignment and extension results in the observed mutations. DNA polymerases II and IV are responsible for misalignment induced mutations and compete with DNA polymerase V which reads through the tandem lesion. These experiments reveal that incorporation of the thymidine glycol into a tandem lesion indirectly induces increases in mutations by blocking replication, which enables the misalignment-realignment mechanism to compete with direct bypass by DNA polymerase V.

Photochemical generation and reactivity of the 5,6-dihydrouridin-6-yl radical

Nucleobase radicals are the major family of reactive intermediates formed when nucleic acids are exposed to hydroxyl radical, which is produced by gamma-radiolysis and Fe.EDTA. Significant advances have been made in understanding the role of nucleobase radicals in oxidative DNA damage by independently generating these species from photochemical precursors. However, this approach has been used much less frequently to study RNA molecules. Norrish type I photocleavage of the tert-butyl ketone (2b) enabled studying the reactivity of 5'-benzoyl-5,6-dihydrouridin-6-yl (1b). High mass balances were observed under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, and O(2) did not affect the photochemical conversion of the ketone (2b) to 1b. Competition studies with O(2) indicate that the radical abstracts hydrogen atoms from beta-mercaptoethanol with a bimolecular rate constant = 2.6 +/- 0.5 x 10(6) M(-1)s(-1). The major product formed in the presence of O(2) was 5'-benzoyl-6-hydroxy-5,6-dihydrouridine (6). In contrast, 5-benzoyl-ribonolactone (7), a hypothetical product resulting from C1'-hydrogen atom abstraction by the peroxyl radical, could not be detected. Overall, tert-butyl ketone 2b is a clean source of 5'-benzoyl-5,6-dihydrouridin-6-yl (1b) and should prove useful for studying the reactivity of the respective radical in RNA.

Multinuclear NMR and kinetic analysis of DNA interstrand cross-link formation

Recently, a phenylselenyl-modified thymidine (2) was shown to produce DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs) via two mechanisms. Photolysis of 2 generates 5-(2'-deoxyuridinyl)methyl radical (1), the reactive intermediate that results from formal hydrogen atom abstraction from the thymine methyl group. This reactive intermediate reacts with the opposing dA and is the first example of a DNA radical that produces ICLs. Kinetic competition studies support the proposal that the rate-limiting step in ICL formation from 1 involves rotation about the glycosidic bond and that the rate constant for this process is influenced by the flanking sequence. Cross-links also form with the opposing dA when 2 is treated with mild oxidants that result in the formation of an intermediate methide-like species (4). Kinetic experiments reveal that 4 reacts with azide, a model nucleophile, via an S(N)2' pathway. Previous experiments suggested that the same product is produced via 1 or 4 but that the initially formed cross-link rearranges during the enzyme digestion and isolation procedures. In situ product analysis by NMR using synthetic, doubly labeled duplex DNA containing (13)C-2 and (15)N(1)-dA provides definitive evidence that the kinetic ICL products formed via the radical and oxidative pathways are the same and correspond to that arising from formal alkylation of N(1)-dA. Furthermore, analysis of the thermodynamic product formed upon rearrangement indicates that the primary product isomerizes via an associative mechanism in DNA.

Oxidation of guanine by carbonate radicals derived from photolysis of carbonatotetramminecobalt(III) complexes and the pH dependence of intrastrand DNA cross-links mediated by guanine radical reactions

The carbonate radical anion CO(3)(*-) is a decomposition product of nitrosoperoxycarbonate derived from the combination of carbon dioxide and peroxynitrite, an important biological byproduct of the inflammatory response. The selective oxidation of guanine in DNA by CO(3)(*-) radicals is known to yield spiroiminodihydantoin (Sp) and guanidinohydantoin (Gh) products, and also a novel intrastrand cross-linked product: 5'-d(CCATCG*CT*ACC), featuring a linkage between guanine C8 (G*) and thymine N3 (T*) atoms in the oligonucleotide (Crean et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 2008, 36, 742-755). Involvement of the T-N3 (pK(a) of N3-H is 9.67) suggests that the formation of 5'-d(CCATCG*CT*ACC) might be pH-dependent. This hypothesis was tested by generating CO(3)(*-) radicals through the photodissociation of carbonatotetramminecobalt(III) complexes by steady-state UV irradiation, which allowed for studies of product yields in the pH 5.0-10.0 range. The yield of 5'-d(CCATCG*CT*ACC) at pH 10.0 is approximately 45 times greater than at pH 5.0; this is consistent with the proposed mechanism, which requires N3(H) thymine proton dissociation followed by nucleophilic addition to the C8 guanine radical.

DNA repair and free radicals, new insights into the mechanism of spore photoproduct lyase revealed by single amino acid substitution

The major DNA photoproduct in UV-irradiated Bacillus subtilis spores is the thymine dimer named spore photoproduct (SP, 5-(alpha-thyminyl)-5,6-dihydrothymine). The SP lesion has been found to be efficiently repaired by SP lyase (SPL) a very specific enzyme that reverses the SP to two intact thymines, at the origin of the great resistance of the spores to UV irradiation. SPL belongs to a superfamily of [4Fe-4S] iron-sulfur enzymes, called "Radical-SAM." Here, we show that the single substitution of cysteine 141 into alanine, a residue fully conserved in Bacillus species and previously shown to be essential for spore DNA repair in vivo, has a major impact on the outcome of the SPL-dependent repair reaction in vitro. Indeed the modified enzyme catalyzes the almost quantitative conversion of the SP lesion into one thymine and one thymine sulfinic acid derivative. This compound results from the trapping of the allyl-type radical intermediate by dithionite, used as reducing agent in the reaction mixture. Implications of the data reported here regarding the repair mechanism and the role of Cys-141 are discussed.

Intrastrand G-U cross-links generated by the oxidation of guanine in 5'-d(GCU) and 5'-r(GCU)

It has been suggested that carbonate radical anions are biologically important because they may be produced during the inflammatory response. The carbonate radicals can selectively oxidize guanine in DNA and RNA by one-electron transfer mechanisms and the guanine radicals thus formed decay by diverse competing pathways with other free radicals or nucleophiles. Using a photochemical method to generate CO(3)(-) radicals in vitro, we compare the distributions of products initiated by the one-electron oxidation of guanine in the trinucleotides 5'-r(GpCpU) and 5'-d(GpCpU) in aqueous buffer solutions (pH 7.5). Similar distributions of stable end products identified by LC-MS/MS methods were found in both cases. The guanine oxidation products include the diastereomeric pair of spiroiminodihydantoin (Sp) and 2,5-diamino-4H-imidazolone (Iz). In addition, intrastrand cross-linked products involving covalent bonds between the G and the U bases (GCU) were also found, although with different relative yields in the 2'-deoxy- and the ribotrinucleotides. The positive-ion MS/MS spectra of the 5'-r(GpCpU) and 5'-d(GpCpU) products clearly indicate the presence of covalently linked G-U products that have a mass smaller by 2 Da than the sum of the G and U bases in both types of trinucleotides. The 5'-d(GCU) cross-linked product was further characterized by 1D and 2D NMR methods that confirm its cyclic structure in which the guanine C8 atom is covalently linked to the uracil N3 atom.

PNA/DNA interstrand cross-links from a modified PNA base upon photolysis or oxidative conditions

PNA/DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs) were observed when peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) containing modified thymine derivatives were hybridized with the complementary or one-base mismatched DNA upon photolysis or treatments of oxidative agent. PNA/DNA ICL formation provides a useful method for biological applications such as antisense technologies or PNA chips.

DNA tandem lesion repair by strand displacement synthesis and nucleotide excision repair

DNA tandem lesions are comprised of two contiguously damaged nucleotides. This subset of clustered lesions is produced by a variety of oxidizing agents, including ionizing radiation. Clustered lesions can inhibit base excision repair (BER). We report the effects of tandem lesions composed of a thymine glycol and a 5'-adjacent 2-deoxyribonolactone (LTg) or tetrahydrofuran abasic site (FTg). Some BER enzymes that act on the respective isolated lesions do not accept the tandem lesion as a substrate. For instance, endonuclease III (Nth) does not excise thymine glycol (Tg) when it is part of either tandem lesion. Similarly, endonuclease IV (Nfo) does not incise L or F when they are in tandem with Tg. Long-patch BER overcomes inhibition by the tandem lesion. DNA polymerase beta (Pol beta) carries out strand displacement synthesis, following APE1 incision of the abasic site. Pol beta activity is enhanced by flap endonuclease (FEN1), which cleaves the resulting flap. The tandem lesion is also incised by the bacterial nucleotide excision repair system UvrABC with almost the same efficiency as an isolated Tg. These data reveal two solutions that DNA repair systems can use to counteract the formation of tandem lesions.

Oxidation of single-stranded oligonucleotides by carbonate radical anions: generating intrastrand cross-links between guanine and thymine bases separated by cytosines

The carbonate radical anion is a biologically important one-electron oxidant that can directly abstract an electron from guanine, the most easily oxidizable DNA base. Oxidation of the 5'-d(CCTACGCTACC) sequence by photochemically generated CO3*- radicals in low steady-state concentrations relevant to biological processes results in the formation of spiroiminodihydantoin diastereomers and a previously unknown lesion. The latter was excised from the oxidized oligonucleotides by enzymatic digestion with nuclease P1 and alkaline phosphatase and identified by LC-MS/MS as an unusual intrastrand cross-link between guanine and thymine. In order to further characterize the structure of this lesion, 5'-d(GpCpT) was exposed to CO3*- radicals, and the cyclic nature of the 5'-d(G*pCpT*) cross-link in which the guanine C8-atom is bound to the thymine N3-atom was confirmed by LC-MS/MS, 1D and 2D NMR studies. The effect of bridging C bases on the cross-link formation was studied in the series of 5'-d(GpC(n)pT) and 5'-d(TpC(n)pG) sequences with n = 0, 1, 2 and 3. Formation of the G*-T* cross-links is most efficient in the case of 5'-d(GpCpT). Cross-link formation (n = 0) was also observed in double-stranded DNA molecules derived from the self-complementary 5'-d(TTACGTACGTAA) sequence following exposure to CO3*- radicals and enzymatic excision of the 5'-d(G*pT*) product.

Formation and genotoxicity of a guanine-cytosine intrastrand cross-link lesion in vivo

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be induced by both endogenous and exogenous processes, and they can damage biological molecules including nucleic acids. Exposure of isolated DNA to X/gamma-rays and Fenton reagents was shown to lead to the formation of intrastrand cross-link lesions where the neighboring nucleobases in the same DNA strand are covalently bonded. By employing HPLC coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with the isotope dilution method, we assessed quantitatively the formation of a guanine-cytosine (G[8-5]C) intrastrand cross-link lesion in HeLa-S3 cells upon exposure to gamma-rays. The yield of the G[8-5]C cross-link was 0.037 lesions per 10(9) nucleosides per Gy, which was approximately 300 times lower than that of 5-formyl-2'-deoxyuridine (0.011 lesions per 10(6) nucleosides per Gy) under identical exposure conditions. We further constructed a single-stranded M13 genome harboring a site-specifically incorporated G[8-5]C lesion and developed a novel mass spectrometry-based method for interrogating the products emanating from the replication of the genome in Escherichia coli cells. The results demonstrated that G[8-5]C blocked considerably DNA replication as represented by a 20% bypass efficiency, and the lesion was significantly mutagenic in vivo, which included a 8.7% G-->T and a 1.2% G-->C transversion mutations. DNA replication in E. coli hosts deficient in SOS-induced polymerases revealed that polymerase V was responsible for the error-prone translesion synthesis in vivo.

Quantification of oxidative single-base and intrastrand cross-link lesions in unmethylated and CpG-methylated DNA induced by Fenton-type reagents

Methylation of cytosine at CpG sites in mammalian cells plays an important role in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Here, we assessed the formation of single-nucleobase lesions and intrastrand cross-link lesions (i.e. G[8-5]C, C[5-8]G, mC[5m-8]G, and G[8-5m]mC, where ‘mC’ represents 5-methylcytosine) in unmethylated and the corresponding CpG-methylated synthetic double-stranded DNA upon treatment with Fenton-type reagents [i.e. H₂O₂, ascorbate together with Cu(II) or Fe(II)]. Our results showed that the yields of oxidative single-nucleobase lesions were considerably higher than those of the intrastrand cross-link lesions. Although no significant differences were found for the yields of single-base lesions induced from cytosine and mC, the G[8-5m]mC cross-link was induced ∼10 times more efficiently than the G[8-5]C cross-link. In addition, the mC[5m-8]G was induced at a level that was ∼15 times less than G[8-5m]mC, whereas the corresponding C[5-8]G intrastrand cross-link lesion was not detectable. Moreover, Cu(II) is ∼10-fold as effective as Fe(II) in inducing oxidative DNA lesions. These results suggest that oxidative intrastrand cross-link lesions formed at methylated-CpG sites may account for the previously reported mCG→TT tandem double mutations induced by Fenton-type reagents.

Facile photocyclization chemistry of 5-phenylthio-2'-deoxyuridine in duplex DNA

We report here the synthesis of 5-phenylthio-2'-deoxyuridine (d(PhS)U), its incorporation into oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs), and its photocyclization chemistry. Irradiation of dinucleoside monophosphate d((PhS)UG) and d(PhS)U-bearing duplex ODNs with 254 nm light results in the facile formation of a cyclic product where the C6 of uracil is covalently bonded to the C2 of the phenyl ring. The chemistry reported here may serve as the basis for the efficient preparation of a new class of duplex DNA with an extended pi system. [reaction: see text]