Mediation of oxidative DNA damage by nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes with the N-terminal sequence of human protamine HP2

The potential of Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes with Arg-Thr-His-Gly-Gln-Ser-His-Tyr-Arg-Arg-Arg-His-Cys-Ser-Arg-amide (Hp2(1-15)), a peptide modeling the N-terminal amino acid sequence of human protamine HP2, to mediate oxidative DNA damage was studied by measurements of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) generation from 2'-deoxyguanosine (dG) and calf thymus DNA and by formation of double-strand breaks in calf thymus DNA. The concentrations of reagents were 0.1 mM dG and the metal-HP2(1-15) complex, 1 mM H2O2, 1.5 mM DNA (per phosphate group), 100 mM phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, ambient O-2. Samples were incubated at 37 degrees C for 16-24 h. The Cu(II)-HP2(1-15) complex was found to be an effective promoter of the formation of 8-oxo-dG from both dG and DNA with ambient Oz (approximately 13- and 3-fold increase versus the oxidant alone, respectively) and H2O2 (approximately 25-fold increase in either case). The Ni(II)-HP2(1-15) complex was ineffective with Oz versus 8-oxo-dG production from both substrates but markedly enhanced the attack of H2O2 on dG and DNA (approximately Ei-fold increase of 8-oxo-dG production in either case). Both Cu(II)- and Ni(II)-HP2(1-15) equally promoted double-strand scission by H2O2 in calf thymus DNA. The promotion by the complexes of dG and DNA oxidation with H2O2 was accompanied by oxidative damage to the complexes themselves, consisting of decreasing contents of their His (to approximately 50% of control in either complex) and especially Tyr (down to 48% of control in Cu(II)- and 19% in Ni(IT)-HP2(1-15)) residues, as well as appearance of aspartic acid, the known oxidation product of His residues in peptides (up to 22% vs Gly for Cu(II)- and 10% for Ni(II)-HP2(1-15)). The above results provide a novel chemical mechanism of Cu(II) and Ni(II) toxicity and may have wide implications for reproductive and transgenerational effects of metal exposure.