Electrochemical Analysis of 3′-Azidothymidine (AZT)

Square wave and elimination voltammetric analysis of azidothymidine in the presence of oligonucleotides and chromosomal DNA

Azidothymidine (AZT, 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine, Zidovudine, Retrovir) is an approved and widely used antiretroviral drug for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Dynamic electrochemical methods have been employed for the fast and inexpensive determination of this drug in natural samples. The electrochemical signal of AZT, resulting from the reduction of azido group, was studied by square wave voltammetry (SWV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and elimination voltammetry with linear scan (EVLS) using a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE). This paper explores the possibility of determining AZT in the presence of native (dsDNA) or denatured calf thymus DNA (ssDNA), and/or some synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs). The detection limit of AZT in the absence and in the presence of ssDNA (10 microg/ml) is 1 and 250 nM, respectively. It was found that the signal of AZT is not substantially affected by the presence of DNA. We can therefore assume that the electrons are transferred through the adsorption layer of nucleic acids. By using the elimination procedure, both irreversible reduction signals of AZT and DNA are augmented. Moreover, the elimination signal in the peak-counterpeak form may indicate the adsorption of the analytes on the electrode surface preceding an electron transfer.

Diamond paste based immunosensor for the determination of azidothymidine

An amperometric immunosensor, based on diamond paste (diamond powder and paraffin oil), has been constructed for the assay of azidothymidine (AZT). The diamond paste is impregnated with anti-AZT. The immunosensor can be used reliably for the assay of azidothymidine in its pharmaceutical formulations. The potential used for azidothymidine assay was + 240 mV vs. Ag/AgCl electrode. The surface of the immunosensor can be regenerated by simply polishing, thereby obtaining fresh immunocomposite ready to be used in a new assay. The new amperometric immunosensor, based on diamond paste, gives reliable results for the assay of AZT as raw material and from its pharmaceutical formulation.

Acyclonucleoside analogue inhibitors of mammalian purine nucleoside phosphorylase

A series of about 60 purine acyclonucleosides, most with guanine as the aglycone and a 4-carbon chain as the acyclic moiety, was examined for ability to inhibit purine nucleoside phosphorylase from human erythrocytes and calf spleen. Compounds with shorter and longer acyclic chains were less effective inhibitors. Synthetic procedures are described. About 25 of the analogues were competitive inhibitors (relative to inosine or 7-methylguanosine as substrates) with Ki values in the range of 2 to 100 microM. The more potent ones (Ki 2-5 microM) included guanine as the aglycone, with various substituents at C(2') of the acyclic chain and hydroxyls at C(3') and C(4'). In one instance, 9-(2-fluoro-3,4-dihydroxybutyl)guanine, the (+)erythro enantiomer was 10-fold more effective than its (-) counterpart (2.5 microM vs 27 microM). Replacement of guanine by 8-bromo- or 8-aminoguanine enhanced affinity for the enzyme by an order of magnitude or more; 7-deazaacyclovir was also 10-fold more effective than acyclovir. With some of the inhibitors, Ki (human)/Ki (calf) varied over the range 0.4 to 4, reflecting differences between the two enzymes; nonetheless, the much more stable, and commercially available, calf spleen enzyme is recommended for preliminary screening of potential inhibitors of the human or other unstable enzymes. The overall results provide useful indications for the synthesis of potentially more potent inhibitors of the enzyme, by simultaneous modifications of the aglycone and the acyclic chains.