C1′ Acylated Derivatives of 2′-Deoxyuridine. Photolabile Precursors of 2′-Deoxyuridin-1′-yl

Synthesis of C3' modified nucleosides for selective generation of the C3'-deoxy-3'-thymidinyl radical: a proposed intermediate in LEE induced DNA damage

DNA damage pathways induced by low-energy electrons (LEEs) are believed to involve the formation of 2-deoxyribose radicals. These radicals, formed at the C3' and C5' positions of nucleotides, are the result of cleavage of the C-O phosphodiester bond through transfer of LEEs to the phosphate group of DNA oligomers from the nucleobases. A considerable amount of information has been obtained to illuminate the identity of the unmodified oligonucleotide products formed through this process. There exists, however, a paucity of information as to the nature of the modified lesions formed from degradation of these sugar radicals. To determine the identity of the damage products formed via the 2',3'-dideoxy-C3'-thymidinyl radical (C3'(dephos) sugar radical), phenyl selenide and acyl modified sugar and nucleoside derivatives have been synthesized, and their suitability as photochemical precursors of the radical of interest has been evaluated. Upon photochemical activation of C3'-derivatized nucleosides in the presence of the hydrogen atom donor tributyltin hydride, 2',3'-dideoxythymidine is formed indicating the selective generation of the C3'(dephos) sugar radical. These precursors will make the identification and quantification of products of DNA damage derived from radicals generated by LEEs possible.

Generation of a C-3'-thymidinyl radical in single-stranded oligonucleotides under anaerobic conditions

[reaction: see text] A C-3'-thymidinyl radical has been photochemically generated site-specifically in DNA oligonucleotides. A nucleoside H-phosphonate bearing a C-3' acetyl group was incorporated into DNA oligomers using a hand-coupling technique. When nucleotides containing the modified monomer were photolyzed (> or =320 nm) in the presence of a hydrogen atom donor, reduction products were detected by RP-HPLC and MALDI-ToF MS analysis.

Independent generation of 5-(2'-deoxycytidinyl)methyl radical and the formation of a novel cross-link lesion between 5-methylcytosine and guanine

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can damage DNA. Although a number of single nucleobase lesions induced by ROS have been structurally characterized, only a few intrastrand cross-link lesions have been identified and characterized, and all of them involve adjacent thymine and guanine or adenine. In mammalian cells, the cytosines at CpG sites are methylated. On the basis of the similar reactivity of 5-methylcytosine and thymine toward hydroxyl radical and the similar orientation of adjacent thymine guanine (TG) and 5-methylcytosine guanine (mCG) in B-DNA, we predict that the cross-link lesion, which was identified in TG and has a covalent bond formed between the 5-methyl carbon atom of T and the C8 carbon atom of G, should also form at mCG site. Here, we report for the first time the independent generation of 5-(2'-deoxycytidinyl)methyl radical, and our results demonstrate that this radical can give rise to the predicted novel intrastrand cross-link lesion in dinucleoside monophosphates d(mCG) and d(GmC). Furthermore, we show that the cross-link lesion can also form in d(mCG) from gamma irradiation under anaerobic conditions.

Nucleophilic addition of benzenethiol to 1',2'-unsaturated nucleosides: 1'-C-phenylthio-2'-deoxynucleosides as anomeric radical precursors

The addition reaction of benzenethiol to the glycal portion of 1',2'-unsaturated uridine proceeds efficiently in the presence of Et(3)N. The mechanism involves nucleophilic attack of thiolate at the anomeric position in the rate-determining step, wherein conjugation between the nucleobase and the glycal portion is crucial. The derivative having a methyl group either at the 2'- or 6-position did not undergo this addition reaction, due to their sterically prohibited coplanarity. The 1',2'-unsaturated derivatives of thymine and adenine can also be used as substrates for this addition reaction. It was also shown that the resulting 1'-C-phenylthio-2'-deoxynucleosides serve as precursors for radical-mediated C-C bond formation at the anomeric position.

Site-specific generation of deoxyribonolactone lesions in DNA oligonucleotides

[reaction: see text] An efficient method for the site-specific generation of 2-deoxyribonolactone oxidative DNA damage lesions from a "photocaged" nucleoside analogue was developed. A nucleoside phosphoramidite bearing a C-1' nitrobenzyl cyanohydrin was prepared and incorporated into DNA oligonucleotides using automated DNA synthesis. The caged analogue, which was stable in aqueous solution, was converted to the 2-deoxyribonolactone lesion by UV irradiation. DNA containing the caged analogue and the deoxyribonolactone site were characterized by electrospray mass spectrometry (ES-MS).

The 7-nitroindole nucleoside as a photochemical precursor of 2'-deoxyribonolactone: access to DNA fragments containing this oxidative abasic lesion

On the basis of molecular modeling studies, the 7-nitroindole nucleoside 1 was selected as a suitable photochemical precursor for photochemical generation of the C1' deoxyribosyl radical under irradiation, which led to 2'-deoxyribonolactone. The nitro-indole nucleoside derivatives 1a and 1b were prepared and their conformation was determined by X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy. The photoreaction of these nucleosides gave the corresponding deoxyribonolactone derivatives efficiently, with release of 7-nitrosoindole. This reaction was successfully applied to synthesis of oligonucleotides containing the deoxyribonolactone lesion.

Direct evidence for bimodal DNA damage induced by tirapazamine

The ability of tirapazamine (1, 3-amino-1,2,4-benzotriazine 1, 4-dioxide, SR4233) to fix DNA radical lesions is demonstrated by studying the reaction between the antitumor drug and an oligonucleotide radical that is independently produced at a defined site within a biopolymer. Using beta-mercaptoethanol as a competitor, it was determined that tirapazamine traps a C1'-nucleotide radical with a rate constant of approximately 2 x 10(8) M-1 s-1. Product and isotopic labeling studies suggest that tirapazamine reacts with the radical via covalent adduct formation, resulting primarily from reaction at the N-oxide oxygen. Intermediate covalent adducts could not be observed, but are postulated to decompose to the alkaline labile 2'-deoxyribonolactone lesion. These experiments affirm recent proposals suggesting that tirapazamine can serve as a surrogate for O2 in converting DNA radicals into toxic strand damage events.