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Deoxyribose breakdown by the adriamycin semiquinone and H 2 O 2 : evidence for hydroxyl radical participation
Author(s) -
Bates Diana A.,
Winterbourn Christine C.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(82)81222-2
Subject(s) - deoxyribose , chemistry , semiquinone , radical , xanthine oxidase , hydroxyl radical , photochemistry , medicinal chemistry , thiobarbituric acid , biochemistry , organic chemistry , redox , antioxidant , dna , enzyme , lipid peroxidation
We report our finding that the reaction between the adriamycin semiquinone (produced by reduction of the drug by xanthine oxidase) and H 2 O 2 in N 2 causes deoxyribose degradation to a thiobarbituric acid‐reactive chromogen. Deoxyribose breakdown was inhibited by scavengers of hydroxyl radicals, providing evidence for the participation of hydroxyl radicals. The reaction was detected in air, but was less efficient in air than in N 2 . Deoxyribose degradation did not require a metal catalyst, and was inhibited by superoxide dismutase in air, but not N 2 . A similar reaction with deoxyribose in DNA may be of major importance in the antitumour action of adriamycin.