COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF RADICAL OXIDATION OF DNA AND ITS NUCLEOSIDES BY HYDROXYL RADICALS AND FERRYL IONS GENERATED BY THE FENTON REACTION

A comparative study of the reaction of hydroxyl radicals and Fenton type oxidative species with DNA and 2'-deoxyribonucleosides was investigated. This study was based on the characterization of the diamagnetic products resulting from the chemical transformation of the transient radicals. Emphasis was placed on the radical oxidative reactions of the purine nucleosides. It is interesting to note that oxidative purine radicals can be reduced by reagents such as ascorbic acid or N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-1,4-p-phenylenediamine. The observed differences in the nature of the decomposition products resulting from the Fenton reaction are not consistent with the nature of the oxidative species (hydroxyl radicals or ferryl ions) involved, but due to the presence of ferrous sulfate.