Oxidative stress exerted on DNA by ionizing radiation and endogenously produced reactive oxygen species results in the formation of radicals, often at the carbons of the sugar moiety, causing strand breaks. These strand breaks can liberate small molecules that are further metabolized into unwanted chemicals that are carcinogenic. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) cause DNA strand breaks at deoxyribose sugar moieties by abstraction of hydrogen atoms to generate carbon-centered radicals. The 5'-aldehyde lesions, formed when a 5’-hydrogen is targeted, is electrophilic in nature allowing nucleophiles within the cellular environment to react to form adducts of biological molecules. It is known that such lesions decomposed into aromatic furfural via β-elimination, yet the factors that facilitate this decomposition are unknown. In order to determine these conditions as well as other products that form from this intermediate, the 5’-aldehyde was exposed to various environments including variations in pH. This work is designed to determine if the 5’-aldehyde damage lesion can act as a viable biomarker of oxidative stress. In addition, intermediates formed during the process of its decomposition will be studied to determine how they contribute to the composition of the internal exposome generated through oxidative damage to nucleic acids.

Investigation of DNA lesions from C5’-oxidation

252nd National Meeting (2016)

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