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Genetic information stored in a DNA base sequence is continuously exposed to harmful factors. It has been determined that 9 × 104 different DNA damage events occur in a single human cell every 24 h. Of these, 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-guanosine (OXOG) is one of the most abundant and can undergo further transformations towards spirodi(iminohydantoin) (Sp). Sp is highly mutagenic in comparison to its precursor if not repaired. In this paper, the influence of both Sp diastereomers 4R and 4S as well as their anti and syn conformers on charge transfer through the double helix was taken into theoretical consideration. In addition, the electronic properties of four modelled double-stranded oligonucleotides (ds-oligos) were also discussed, i.e., d[A1Sp2A3oxoG4A5] * [T5C4T3C2T1]. Throughout the study, the M06—2X/6—31++G** level theory was used. Solvent–solute non-equilibrated and equilibrated interactions were also considered. The subsequent results elucidated that the 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-guanosine:cytidine (OXOGC) base pair is the settled point of a migrated radical cation in each of the discussed cases, due to its low adiabatic ionization potential, i.e., ~5.55 [eV]. The opposite was noted for excess electron transfer through ds-oligos containing anti (R)-Sp or anti (S)-Sp. The radical anion was found on the OXOGC moiety, whereas in the presence of syn (S)-Sp or syn (R)-Sp, an excess electron was found on the distal A1T5 or A5T1 base pair, respectively. Furthermore, a spatial geometry analysis of the discussed ds-oligos revealed that the presence of syn (R)-Sp in the ds-oligo caused only a slight deformation to the double helix, while syn (S)-Sp formed an almost ideal base pair with a complementary dC. The above results are in strong agreement with the final charge transfer rate constant, as calculated according to Marcus’ theory. In conclusion, DNA damage such as spirodi(iminohydantoin), especially when becoming part of clustered DNA damage, can affect the effectiveness of other lesion recognition and repair processes. This can lead to the acceleration of undesired and deleterious processes such as carcinogenesis or aging. However, in terms of anticancer radio-/chemo- or combined therapy, the slowing down of the repair machinery can result in increased effectiveness. With this in mind, the influence of clustered damage on charge transfer and its subsequent effect on single-damage recognition by glycosylases justifies future investigation.

Food is a source of biologically active peptides, which have a positive effect on a number of human physiological functions. An important and compound studied from the group of peptides is lunazine isolated from soybeans. There is also found in grains of wheat, barley and rye but in smaller quantities. It consists of 43 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 5.5 kDa. Scientific studies have shown that lunasin has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and chemoprotective properties and can also have a beneficial effect on the lipid profile. This peptide is thermally stable and is not degraded in the gastrointestinal tract, which allows for high bioavailability. This review present some of the potential health and therapeutic benefits of lunazine. .

The 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxypurines (cdPus) affect the DNA structure. When these bulky structures are a part of clustered DNA lesions (CDL), they affect the repair of the other lesions within the cluster. Mitochondria are crucial for cell survival and have their own genome, hence, are highly interesting in the context of CDL repair. However, no studies are exploring this topic. Here, the initial stages of mitochondrial base excision repair (mtBER) were considered—the strand incision and elongation. The repair of a single lesion (apurinic site (AP site)) accompanying the cdPu within the double-stranded CDL has been investigated for the first time. The type of cdPu, its diastereomeric form, and the interlesion distance were taken into consideration. For these studies, the established experimental model of short oligonucleotides (containing AP sites located ≤7 base pairs to the cdPu in both directions) and mitochondrial extracts of the xrs5 cells were used. The obtained results have shown that the presence of cdPus influenced the processing of an AP site within the CDL. Levels of strand incision and elongation were higher for oligos containing RcdA and ScdG than for those with ScdA and RcdG. Investigated stages of mtBER were more efficient for DNA containing AP sites located on 5′-end side of cdPu than on its 3′-end side. In conclusion, the presence of cdPus in mtDNA structure may affect mtBER (processing the second mutagenic lesion within the CDL). As impaired repair processes may lead to serious biological consequences, further studies concerning the mitochondrial repair of CDL are highly demanded.

Rokitnik zwyczajny to roślina bogata w liczne składniki biologicznie ak­tywne, takie jak: witaminy, flawonoidy, karotenoidy czy nienasycone kwa­sy tłuszczowe, mające korzystny wpływ na zdrowie człowieka. Roślina ta zasługuje na szczególne zainteresowanie, ze względu na obecność stabilnej witaminy C. Sok z rokitnika może więc z powodzeniem zastąpić cytrynę w codziennej diecie. Ze względu na dużą zawartość witaminy C i flawonoidów, owoce rokitnika są cennym surowcem o właściwościach przeciwutleniają­cych. Co ważne, rokitnik zachowuje swoje właściwości nawet po gotowaniu czy suszeniu. Celem tego artykułu jest przybliżenie właściwości prozdrowot­nych rokitnika zwyczajnego wynikających z zawartości dużej liczby związ­ków o właściwościach przeciwutleniających, ze szczególnym uwzględnie­niem witaminy C, która w przypadku rokitnika zwyczajnego charakteryzuje się wysoką stabilnością.

Komensalna mikroflora jelit odgrywa kluczową rolę w utrzymaniu homeostazy w ludzkim organizmie. Drobnoustroje wpływają między innymi na przemianę energii i wchłanianie składników odżywczych, regulują pracę układu immunologicznego oraz pomagają chronić organizm gospodarza przed patogennymi mikroorganizmami. Skład mikroflory jelitowej występuje w łatwej do zaburzenia równowadze, a wszelkie jej zmiany wywołane dietą, stresem, otyłością, chorobami układu pokarmowego czy przyjmowaniem leków, mogą prowadzić do prozapalnych odpowiedzi immunologicznych i zapoczątkowania procesów chorobowych, w tym nowotworowych. Utrzymanie homeostazy mikroflory jelit jest zatem niezwykle istotne dla zdrowia człowieka. W celu jej przywrócenia najczęściej stosowane jest przyjmowanie preparatów zawierających odpowiednie kultury bakterii tj. probiotyków. W związku z faktem, iż jogurty stanowią źródło bakterii probiotycznych, ich regularne spożycie stanowić może mocny punkt w profilaktyce różnego rodzaju chorób w tym cywilizacyjnych jak i nowotworowych. Artykuł ten stanowi przegląd literatury dotyczącej zastosowaniabakterii jogurtowych w profilaktyce chorób nowotworowych. Zagadnienia poruszone w artykule dotyczą charakterystyki bakterii jogurtowych, dobroczynnego wpływu probiotyków na zdrowie człowieka, antynowotworowych właściwości bakterii jogurtowych oraz ich metabolitów tj.: immunoregulacji, zapobiegania infekcjom bakteryjnym, utrzymania połączeń komórkowych w jelicie i przeciwnowotworowej aktywności metabolitów bakteryjnych.

A series of arene ruthenium(II) complexes, 1a-3a, with the general formula [(η6-arene)Ru(L)Cl2] (where arene = p-cymene, hexamethylbenzene and benzene, respectively, and L = 5-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-methyl-1-(2-pyridyl)-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, MS, IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The stability of selected complexes was assessed by UV–Vis spectroscopy over 24 and 48 hour periods. The synthesized complexes were evaluated for in vitro experiments using HL-60, NALM-6, WM-115 and COLO-205, and they showed low cytotoxic activity. The most active compound, 2a, possesses IC50 = 41.17 ± 3.68 µM, which is comparable to the reference compound quercetin. X-ray crystallographic analysis of compound 1a found that the ruthenium complex adopts a piano-stool type of geometry, with crystal packing stabilized by a 3-D net of O H…Cl and C H…Cl type hydrogen bonds, the latter forming dimers in the crystal lattice. The most active complexes in the cytotoxicity experiments were selected for evaluation of the damage percentage in NALM-6 cells by a comet assay: the extent of DNA fragmentation in the lymphoblastic leukemia cells indicated that the analyzed ruthenium(II) complexes triggered DNA damage.

The review includes information on the current state of knowledge of immunometric methods with emphasis on the possibility of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage detection. Beginning with basic immunoassay enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), this review describes methods such as tyramide signal amplification (TSA), enhanced polymer one-step staining (EPOS), and time resolved amplified cryptate emission (TRACE) as improvements of ELISA’s developed over time to obtain more accurate results. In the second part of the review, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and quantum dots (QDs) are presented as the newest outlooks in the context of immunoanalysis of biological material and molecular studies. The aim of this review is to briefly present immunoassays with emphasis on DNA damage detection; therefore, the types of methods are listed and described, types of signal indicators, basic definitions such as antigen and antibody are given. Every method is considered with an exemplary application focusing on DNA studies, DNA damage and instability detection.

Restriction endonucleases (REs) are intra-bacterial scissors that are considered tools in the fight against foreign genetic material. SspI and BsmAI, examined in this study, cleave dsDNA at their site of recognition or within a short distance of it. Both enzymes are representatives of type II REs, which have played an extremely important role in research on the genetics of organisms and molecular biology. Therefore, the study of agents affecting their activity has become highly important. Ionizing radiation may damage basic cellular mechanisms by inducing lesions in the genome, with 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxypurines (cdPus) as a model example. Since cdPus may become components of clustered DNA lesions (CDLs), which are unfavorable for DNA repair pathways, their impact on other cellular mechanisms is worthy of attention. This study investigated the influence of cdPus on the elements of the bacterial restriction–modification system. In this study, it was shown that cdPus present in DNA affect the activity of REs. SspI was blocked by any cdPu lesion present at the enzyme’s recognition site. When lesions were placed near the recognition sequence, the SspI was inhibited up to 46%. Moreover, (5′S)-5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine (ScdA) present in the oligonucleotide sequence lowered BsmAI activity more than (5′R)-5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine (RcdA). Interestingly, in the case of 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyguanosine (cdG), both 5′S and 5′R diastereomers inhibited BsmAI activity (up to 55% more than cdA). The inhibition was weaker when cdG was present at the recognition site rather than the cleavage site.

As a result of external and endocellular physical-chemical factors, every day approximately ~105 DNA lesions might be formed in each human cell. During evolution, living organisms have developed numerous repair systems, of which Base Excision Repair (BER) is the most common. 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine (cdA) is a tandem lesion that is removed by the Nucleotide Excision Repair (NER) mechanism. Previously, it was assumed that BER machinery was not able to remove (5′S)cdA from the genome. In this study, however, it has been demonstrated that, if (5′S)cdA is a part of a single-stranded clustered DNA lesion, it can be removed from ds-DNA by BER. The above is theoretically possible in two cases: (A) When, during repair, clustered lesions form Okazaki-like fragments, or (B) when the (5′S)cdA moiety is located in the oligonucleotide strand on the 3′-end side of the adjacent DNA damage site, but not when it appears at the opposite 5′-end side. To explain this phenomenon, pure enzymes involved in BER were used (polymerase β (Polβ), a Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA), and the X-Ray Repair Cross-Complementing Protein 1 (XRCC1)), as well as the Nuclear Extract (NE) from xrs5 cells. It has been found that Polβ can effectively elongate the primer strand in the presence of XRCC1 or PCNA. Moreover, supplementation of the NE from xrs5 cells with Polβ (artificial Polβ overexpression) forced oligonucleotide repair via BER in all the discussed cases.

The seed of life is concealed in the base sequence in DNA. This macromolecule is continuously exposed to harmful factors which can cause it damage. The stability of genetic information depends on the protein efficiency of repair systems. Glycosylases are the scouts which recognize and remove damaged bases. Their efficiency depends on how rapidly they recognize DNA lesions. One theory states that charge transfer is involved in protein cross talking through ds-DNA. For these reasons a comparative analysis of ds-oligo containing a mismatched base pair dA:::dG and a damaged dA::dG

Micronutrients such as vitamins and trace elements are crucial for maintaining the health of all organisms. Micronutrients are involved in every cellular/biochemical process. They play roles in proper heart and brain functioning, influence immunological responses, and antioxidant defense systems. Therefore, prolonged deficiency in one or more micronutrients leads to cardiovascular or neurodegenerative disorders. Keeping micronutrients at adequate levels is especially important for seniors. They are prone to deficiencies due to age-associated functional decline and often to a diet poor in nutrients. Moreover, lack of micronutrients has an indirect impact on the genome. Their low levels reduce the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and therefore inhibit the efficiency of defense against free radicals which can lead to the formation of DNA lesions. The more DNA damage in the genetic material, the faster aging at the cellular level and a higher risk of pathological processes (e.g., carcinogenesis). Supplementation of crucial antioxidative micronutrients such as selenium, zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin E seems to have the potential to positively influence the condition of an aging organism, including minimizing inflammation, enhancing antioxidative defense, and limiting the formation of DNA lesions. In consequence, it may lead to lowering the risk and incidence of age-related diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and malnutrition. In this article, we attempt to present the synergistic action of selected antioxidant micronutrients (vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and zinc) for inhibiting oxidative stress and DNA damage, which may impede the process of healthy aging.

Oxidatively generated damage to DNA frequently appears in the human genome as the effect of aerobic metabolism or as the result of exposure to exogenous oxidizing agents, such as ionization radiation. In this paper, the electronic properties of single, tandem, and clustered DNA damage in comparison with native ds-DNA are discussed as a comparative analysis for the first time. A single lesion&mdash, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2&prime, deoxyguanosine (Goxo), a tandem lesion&mdash, (5&prime, S) and (5&prime, R) 5&prime, 8-cyclo-2&prime, deoxyadenosine (cdA), and the presence of both of them in one helix turn as clustered DNA damage were chosen and taken into consideration. The lowest vertical and adiabatic potential (VIP ~ 5.9 and AIP ~ 5.5 eV, respectively) were found for Goxo, independently of the discussed DNA lesion type and their distribution within the double helix. Moreover, the VIP and AIP were assigned for ds-trimers, ds- dimers and single base pairs isolated from parental ds-hexamers in their neutral and cationic forms. The above results were confirmed by the charge and spin density population, which revealed that Goxo can be considered as a cation radical point of destination independently of the DNA damage type (single, tandem, or clustered). Additionally, the different influences of cdA on the charge transfer rate were found and discussed in the context of tandem and clustered lesions. Because oligonucleotide lesions are effectively produced as a result of ionization factors, the presented data in this article might be valuable in developing a new scheme of anticancer radiotherapy efficiency.

Vitamin C has been known for decades. It is common in everyday use as an element of the diet, supplementation, and a preservative. For years, research has been conducted to precisely determine the mechanism of action of ascorbate in the cell. Available results indicate its multi-directional cellular effects. Vitamin C, which belongs to antioxidants scavenging free radicals, also has a ‘second face’—as a pro-oxidative factor. However, whether is the latter nature a defect harmful to the cell, or whether a virtue that is a source of benefit? In this review, we discuss the effects of vitamin C treatment in cancer prevention and the role of ascorbate in maintaining redox balance in the central nervous system (CNS). Finally, we discuss the effect of vitamin C supplementation on biomarkers of oxidative DNA damage and review the evidence that vitamin C has radioprotective properties.

Commensal microbiota plays a critical role in the maintenance of human health. Microbes influence energy metabolism and nutrient absorption and help defend the host organism against pathogens. The composition of the gut microbiota is delicately balanced, and any alterations may lead to proinflammatory immune responses and initiation of disease processes, including cancer. Experimental evidence indicates that the human intestinal microbiota can influence tumour development and progression in the gastrointestinal tract by damaging DNA, activation of oncogenic signaling pathways, production of tumour-promoting metabolites, and suppression of the anti-tumour immune response. The aim of this article was to outline differences in human microbiota between healthy subjects and patients with gastrointestinal malignancies such as esophageal, stomach, liver, biliary tract, pancreas and colon inflammations, and cancers. A better understanding of microbiota changes in various gastrointestinal malignancies will enable a greater insight into the relationship between human microbiota composition and cancer development.

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), trichothiodystrophy (TTD) and Cockayne syndrome (CS) are rare genetic diseases characterized by a large range of clinical symptoms. However, they are all associated with defects in nucleotide excision repair (NER), the system responsible for removing bulky DNA lesions such as those generated by UV light: cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) and pyrimidine-pyrimidone photoproducts (6-4 PPs). Over the past years, detailed structural and biochemical information on NER-associated proteins has emerged. In the first part of the article we briefly present the main steps of the NER pathway with an emphasis on the precise role of certain proteins. Further, we focus on clinical manifestations of the disorders and describe the diagnostic procedures. Then we consider how current therapy and advanced technology could improve patients' quality of life. Although to date the discussed diseases remain incurable, effective sun protection, a well thought out diet, and holistic medical care provide longer life and better health. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding the epidemiology of NER-associated diseases, their genetic background, clinical features, and treatment options.

Clustered DNA lesions (CDL) containing 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxypurines (cdPus) are an example of extensive abnormalities occurring in the DNA helix and may impede cellular repair processes. The changes in the efficiency of nuclear base excision repair (BER) were investigated using (a) two cell lines, one of the normal skin fibroblasts as a reference (BJ) and the second from Xeroderma pigmentosum patients’ skin (XPC), and (b) synthetic oligonucleotides with single- and double-stranded CDL (containing 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine (cdA) and the abasic (AP) site at various distances between lesions). The nuclear BER has been observed and the effect of both cdA isomers (5′R and 5′S) presence in the DNA was tested. CdPus affected the repair of the second lesion within the CDL. The BER system more efficiently processed damage in the vicinity of the ScdA isomer and changes located in the 3′-end direction for dsCDL and in the 5′-end direction for ssCDL. The presented study is the very first investigation of the repair processes of the CDL containing cdPu considering cells derived from a Xeroderma pigmentosum patient.

Ionizing radiation is a factor that seriously damages cellular mechanisms/macromolecules, e.g., by inducing damage in the human genome, such as 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxypurines (cdPus). CdPus may become a component of clustered DNA lesions (CDL), which are notably unfavorable for the base excision repair system (BER). In this study, the influence of 5′S and 5′R diastereomers of 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine (cdA) and 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyguanosine (cdG) on the uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) and human AP site endonuclease 1 (hAPE1) activity has been taken under consideration. Synthetic oligonucleotides containing 2′-deoxyuridine (dU) and cdPu were used as a model of single-stranded CDL. The activity of the UDG and hAPE1 enzymes decreased in the presence of RcdG compared to ScdG. Contrary to the above, ScdA reduced enzyme activity more than RcdA. The presented results show the influence of cdPus lesions located within CDL on the activity of the initial stages of BER dependently on their position toward dU. Numerous studies have shown the biological importance of cdPus (e.g., as a risk of carcinogenesis). Due to that, it is important to understand how to recognize and eliminate this type of DNA damage from the genome.

The growing clinical and epidemiological significance of gestational diabetes mellitus results from its constantly increasing worldwide prevalence, obesity, and overall unhealthy lifestyle among women of childbearing age. Oxidative stress seems to be the most important predictor of gestational diabetes mellitus development. Disturbances in the cell caused by oxidative stress lead to different changes in biomolecules, including DNA. The nucleobase which is most susceptible to oxidative stress is guanine. Its damage results in two main modifications: 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosineor 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine. Their significant level can indicate pathological processes during pregnancy, like gestational diabetes mellitus and probably, type 2 diabetes mellitus after pregnancy. This review provides an overview of current knowledge on the use of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosineand/or 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine as a biomarker in gestational diabetes mellitus and allows us to understand the mechanism of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosineand/or 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine generation during this disease.

DNA lesions are formed continuously in each living cell as a result of environmental factors, ionisation radiation, metabolic processes, etc. Most lesions are removed from the genome by the base excision repair system (BER). The activation of the BER protein cascade starts with DNA damage recognition by glycosylases. Uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) is one of the most evolutionary preserved glycosylases which remove the frequently occurring 2&prime, deoxyuridine from single (ss) and double-stranded (ds) oligonucleotides. Conversely, the unique tandem lesions (5&prime, R)- and (5&prime, S)-5&prime, 8-cyclo-2&prime, deoxyadenosine (cdA) are not suitable substrates for BER machinery and are released from the genome by the nucleotide excision repair (NER) system. However, the cyclopurines appearing in a clustered DNA damage structure can influence the BER process of other lesions like dU. In this article, UDG inhibition by 5&prime, S- and 5&prime, R-cdA is shown and discussed in an experimental and theoretical manner. This phenomenon was observed when a tandem lesion appears in single or double-stranded oligonucleotides next to dU, on its 3&prime, end side. The cdA shift to the 5&prime, end side of dU in ss-DNA stops this effect in both cdA diastereomers. Surprisingly, in the case of ds-DNA, 5&prime, S-cdA completely blocks uracil excision by UDG. Conversely, 5&prime, R-cdA allows glycosylase for uracil removal, but the subsequently formed apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) site is not suitable for human AP-site endonuclease 1 (hAPE1) activity. In conclusion, the appearance of the discussed tandem lesion in the structure of single or double-stranded DNA can stop the entire base repair process at its beginning, which due to UDG and hAPE1 inhibition can lead to mutagenesis. On the other hand, the presented results can cast some light on the UDG or hAPE1 inhibitors being used as a potential treatment.

The clustered DNA lesions (CDLs) are a characteristic feature of ionizing radiation’s impact on the human genetic material. CDLs impair the efficiency of cellular repair machinery, especially base excision repair (BER). When CDLs contain a lesion repaired by BER (e.g., apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites) and a bulkier 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxypurine (cdPu), which is not a substrate for BER, the repair efficiency of the first one may be affected. The cdPus’ influence on the efficiency of nuclear BER in xrs5 cells have been investigated using synthetic oligonucleotides with bi-stranded CDL (containing (5′S) 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine (ScdA), (5′R) 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine (RcdA), (5′S) 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyguanosine (ScdG) or (5′R) 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyguanosine (RcdG) in one strand and an AP site in the other strand at different interlesion distances). Here, for the first time, the impact of ScdG and RcdG was experimentally tested in the context of nuclear BER. This study shows that the presence of RcdA inhibits BER more than ScdA, however, ScdG decreases repair level more than RcdG. Moreover, AP sites located ≤10 base pairs to the cdPu on its 5′-end side were repaired less efficiently than AP sites located ≤10 base pairs on the 3′-end side of cdPu. The strand with an AP site placed opposite cdPu or one base in the 5′-end direction was not reconstituted for cdA nor cdG. CdPus affect the repair of the other lesion within the CDL. It may translate to a prolonged lifetime of unrepaired lesions leading to mutations and impaired cellular processes. Therefore, future research should focus on exploring this subject in more detail.

Nucleic acids are the targets for various endogenous and exogenous genotoxic agents, including reactive oxygen species. The appearance of a hydroxyl racial (•OH), the most harmful molecule, next to an oligonucleotide can lead to two types of DNA damage: strand breaks or nucleobase modifications. Since clustered DNA damage is defined as the presence of two or more lesions in one helix turn, purine 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxynucleosides are recognized as tandem lesions: both sugar moieties and base have been modified within one nucleoside/nucleotide. The hydrogen abstraction from the C5′ group of nucleosides/nucleotides by •OH, with subsequent C8 C5′ cyclisation results in purine 5′,8-cyclonucleoside formation. Due to its unusual 3D structure and the fact that only one radical hit is needed for purine 5′,8-cyclonucleoside formation their influence on genome stability/integrity and DNA repair processes are subjects of medical interest. In the present work the influence of 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine on DNA spatial geometry and DNA repair hinder in connection with human health, such as neurological disorders is discussed.

Background: Administration of diagnostic activities of 131I, performed in order to detect thyroid remnants after surgery and/or thyroid cancer recurrence/metastases, may lead to reduction of iodine uptake. This phenomenon is called “thyroid stunning”. We estimated radiation absorbed dose-dependent changes in genetic material, in particular in sodium iodide symporter (NIS) gene promoter, and NIS protein level in human thyrocytes (HT). Materials and Methods: We used unmodified HT isolated from patients subjected to thyroidectomy exposed to 131I in culture. The different 131I activities applied were calculated to result in absorbed doses of 5, 10, and 20 Gy. Results: According to flow cytometry analysis and comet assay, 131I did not influence the HT viability in culture. Temporary increase of 8-oxo-dG concentration in HT directly after 24 h (p &lt, 0.05) and increase in the number of AP-sites 72 h after termination of exposition to 20 Gy dose (p &lt, 0.0001) were observed. The signs of dose-dependent DNA damage were not associated with essential changes in the NIS expression on mRNA and protein levels. Conclusions: Our observation constitutes a first attempt to evaluate the effect of the absorbed dose of 131I on HT. The results have not confirmed the theory that the “thyroid stunning” reduces the NIS protein synthesis.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) can infect extrahepatic tissues, including lymphocytes, creating reservoir of the virus. Moreover, HCV proteins can interact with DNA damage response proteins of infected cells. In this article we investigated the influence of the virus infection and a new ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir ± dasabuvir ± ribavirin (OBV/PTV/r ± DSV ± RBV) anti-HCV therapy on the PBMCs (peripheral blood mononuclear cells, mainly lymphocytes) DNA base excision repair (BER) system. BER protein activity was analyzed in the nuclear and mitochondrial extracts (NE and ME) of PBMC isolated from patients before and after therapy, and from subjects without HCV, using modeled double-strand DNA, with 2'-deoxyuridine substitution as the DNA damage. The NE and ME obtained from patients before therapy demonstrated lower efficacy of 2'-deoxyuridine removal and DNA repair polymerization than those of the control group or patients after therapy. Moreover, the extracts from the patients after therapy had similar activity to those from the control group. However, the efficacy of apurinic/apyrimidinic site excision in NE did not differ between the studied groups. We postulate that infection of lymphocytes by the HCV can lead to a decrease in the activity of BER enzymes. However, the use of novel therapy results in the improvement of glycosylase activity as well as the regeneration of endonuclease and other crucial repair enzymes.

Diagnostic whole-body scan is a standard procedure in patients with thyroid cancer prior to the application of a therapeutic dose of 131I. Unfortunately, administration of the radioisotope in a diagnostic dose may decrease further radioiodine uptake—the phenomenon called “thyroid stunning”. We estimated radiation absorbed dose-dependent changes in genetic material, in particular in the sodium iodide symporter (NIS) gene promoter, and the NIS protein level in a K1 cell line derived from the metastasis of a human papillary thyroid carcinoma exposed to 131I in culture. The different activities applied were calculated to result in absorbed doses of 5, 10 and 20 Gy. Radioiodine did not affect the expression of the NIS gene at the mRNA level, however, we observed significant changes in the NIS protein level in K1 cells. The decrease of the NIS protein level observed in the cells subjected to the lowest absorbed dose was paralleled by a significant increase in 8-oxo-dG concentrations (p < 0.01) and followed by late activation of the DNA repair pathways. Our findings suggest that the impact of 131I radiation on thyroid cells, in the range compared to doses absorbed during diagnostic procedures, is not linear and depends on various factors including the cellular components of thyroid pathology.

The series of pyrazole derivatives ( 1a–4a ) were used as bidentate N,N′ ligands to obtain neutral Cu(II) complexes of ML 2 Cl 2 type ( 1b – 4b ). The molecular structures of ligand 1a and Cu(II) complex 4b were determined by X-ray crystallography and theoretical DFT calculations. In this study, three functionals B3LYP, BP86 and mPW1PW91 with different basis sets and two effective core potentials Los Alamos and Stuttgart/Dresden were performed. The DFT study disclosed the usefulness of BP86 functional with SDD-ECP for Cu(II) ion and dedicated D95 basis set for other non-transition metal atoms, with the exclusion of Cl for which 6-31++G(2df,2pd) were used. The structural analysis shows that the presence of phenyl substituent in a pyrazole ring contributed to Cu–N bond elongation, which can result in different reactivity of complexes 1b and 3b . The cytotoxicity of the obtained compounds was evaluated on three cancer cells lines: HL-60, NALM-6 and WM-115. The complexes have exhibited similar moderate antiproliferative activity. All the complexes, except for 1b, were found to be more active against three cancer cell lines than uncomplexed pyrazoles. The lipophilicity and electrochemical properties of ligands and complexes was also studied. For complexes with ligand 1a and 3a only one reduction process at the metal centre occurs (Cu(II) → Cu(I)) with oxidization of Cu(I)–Cu(II) in the backward step.

Oxidatively generated damage to DNA frequently appears in the human genome as the effect of aerobic metabolism or as the result of exposure to exogenous oxidizing agents such as ionization radiation. In this paper, for the first time, the electronic properties of nucleoside pairs containing 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine (cdA) in their 5′R and 5′S diastereomeric forms (cdA(R)::T and cdA(S)::T) as the simplest model of ds-DNA have been discussed. The following values of the selected electronic parameters, measured in eV, were found for cdA(R)::T, cdA(S)::T, and dA::T, respectively, adiabatic/vertical electron affinity: 0.39/0.24, 0.35/0.18, 0.33/0.21; and adiabatic/vertical ionization potential: 7.27/7.50, 7.7.25/7.49, 7.03/7.27. Moreover, based on the results of the relaxation energy, the presence of cdA(S)::T should provide the highest barrier for electron transfer in ds-DNA. Analyses of hydrogen bond length deviations reveal that the formation of cationic forms results in higher elongation than that of anionic forms. Moreover, during the electron attachment or detachment for the investigated cdA(R)::T, cdA(S)::T, and dA::T nucleoside pairs, the same scheme of changes in hydrogen bond length was noted.

The interaction of polyamine conjugates with DNA double helix has been studied. Binding properties were examined by ethidium bromide (EtBr) displacement and DNA unwinding/topoisomerase I/II (Topo I/II) activity assays, as well as dsDNA thermal stability studies and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Genotoxicity of the compounds was estimated by a comet assay. It has been shown that only compound 2a can interact with dsDNA via an intercalative binding mode as it displaced EtBr from the dsDNA-dye complex, with Kapp = 4.26 × 106 M−1; caused an increase in melting temperature; changed the circular dichroism spectrum of dsDNA; converted relaxed plasmid DNA into a supercoiled molecule in the presence of Topo I and reduced the amount of short oligonucleotide fragments in the comet tail. Furthermore, preliminary theoretical study has shown that interaction of the discussed compounds with dsDNA depends on molecule linker length and charge distribution over terminal aromatic chromophores.

Reactions of a hydroxyl radical with nucleotides may lead to the generation of radicals in DNA components. In this study emphasis was placed on the consideration of the possible reaction of 2′-deoxyadenosine radicals involved in the structure of dA::T nucleoside pairs leading to the formation of related 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine (cdA) as part of a cdA::T pair. It has been shown by several authors that 5′R and 5′S diastereomers of the cdA are formed with different frequency in nucleoside, single and double-stranded DNA. In this theoretical quantum mechanics study, the (5′S)cdA::T was found to be the most stable; moreover, the investigated paths of the reaction showed the energetic preferential of (5′S)cdA::T nucleoside pairs formation in both the aqueous and gaseous phase. Therefore the presented results are in good agreement with experimental data. Additionally, the fluctuations of charge distribution and dipole moment as well as the strength of hydrogen bonds of the discussed cdA::T pairs are presented.

Oxidatively generated damage to DNA frequently appears in the human genome as an effect of aerobic metabolism or as the result of exposure to exogenous oxidizing agents. Due to these facts it has been decided to calculate the stability of 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine/guanosine (cdA, cdG) in their 5′R and 5′S diastereomeric forms. For all points of quantum mechanics studies presented, the density functional theory (DFT) with B3LYP parameters on 6-311++G** basis set level was used. The calculations showed a significant negative enthalpy for glycosidic bond cleavage reaction for cationic forms and slightly negative for neutral ones. The preliminary study of the discussed process has shown the nature of stepwise nucleophilic substitution DN*AD type mechanism. Surprisingly, the different values in free energy, between short-lived oxacarbenium ion intermediates, have been found to lie over a relatively small range, around 1 and 2.8 kcal mol−1. For anions, the decomposition enthalpies were found as positive in aqueous phases. These theoretical results are supported by the formic acid hydrolysis experiments of both diastereomers of cdA, for the first time. (5′S)cdA exhibited higher stability than (5′R)cdA.

Oxidatively generated damage to DNA frequently appears in the human genome as an effect of aerobic metabolism or as the result of exposure to exogenous oxidizing agents. Due to these facts it was decided to present, for the first time, the electron affinity, ionization potential of 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine/guanosine (cdA, cdG) in their 5′R and 5′S diastereomeric forms. For all points of quantum mechanics studies presented, the density functional theory (DFT) with B3LYP parameters on 6-311++G** basis set level was used. The zero-point vibrational corrected adiabatic electron affinity (AEA) and adiabatic ionization potential (AIP) were calculated. Additionally the vertical electron affinity (VEA), vertical detachment energy (VDE) and vertical ionization potential were taken into consideration. AEA in eV (gaseous/aqueous phase) are as follows: 0.3/1.81 (5′R)cdA, 0.13/1.76 (5′S)cdA, 0.17/1.49 (5′R)cdG, 0.14/1.53 (5′S)cdG and AIP followed the order 7.43/5.59(5′S)cdG, 7.49/5.60(5′R)cdG, 7.77/5.97(5′R)cdA, 7.84/5.93(5′S)cdA. The obtained AIPs were found to be lower than that for corresponding natural nucleosides. Therefore, even though the 5′,8-cyclopurine-2′-deoxynucleoside level in a cell was judged as low, they can play an important role in the stability, replication and transcription of genes.

Oxidatively generated damage to DNA frequently appears in the human genome as an effect of aerobic metabolism or as the result of exposure to exo genous oxidizing agents. Due to these facts, it has been decided to present the structural propriety and charge distribution of 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine/guanosine (cdA, cdG) in their 5′ R and 5′ S diastereomeric forms. For all points of quantum mechanics studies presented, the density functional theory (DFT) with B3LYP parameters on 6-311++G∗∗ basis set level was used. The 2-deoxyribose moiety of cyclopurines has adopted the 0 T 1 conformation in their cationic, neutral and anionic forms. The natural population analysis (NPA) of charge distribution between purine/2-deoxyribose moieties exhibited positive/positive value for cations, positive/negative for neutral molecules. NPA data for anionic forms showed negative/negative values in gas (exclude (5′ S )cdG) and positive/negative in water. The dipole moments of 5′,8-cyclopurine-2′-deoxynucleosides were found as follows: 7.83(5′ R )cdG, 6.86(5′ S )cdG, 3.99(5′ R )cdA, 1.99(5′ S )cdA in the gaseous phase, 11.29(5′ R )cdG, 9.99(5′ S )cdG, 6.44(5′ R )cdA, 4.14(5′ S )cdA in the aqueous phase.

Oxidatively generated damage to DNA frequently appears in the human genome as an effect of aerobic metabolism or as the result of exposure to exo genous oxidizing agents, such as ionizing radiation and solar light, a product of radiation. 5′,8-Purine cyclonucleosides constitute an important class of oxidatively generated tandem lesions. The present study deals with the synthesis of the (5′ R )-diastereomer of 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine (cdA) containing T PO cdA, in an attempt to delineate the conformational changes induced in the DNA fragments by the presence of this lesion. For this purpose, extensive 1D and 2D NMR measurements were performed and completed by theoretical calculations. It was found that the covalent bond between C(5′) and C(8) in the (5′ R )-5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine induces an unusual West ( 0 T 1 ) conformation of the furanose ring. It is similar to the opposite (5′ S )-diastereoisomer; however, the three-dimensional structure of the dinucleoside investigated has shown an analogy to natural d(T PO A). Thus, it can be postulated that the rigid structure of (5′ R )-5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine would perturb the global geometry of oligonucleotides at the site of the modification less strongly than (5′ S ) and therefore be less toxic for cells. In this article, the influence of the (5′ R )-diastereomer of 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine on the dinucleotide structure will be presented for the first time.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) may generate different nucleoside/nucleotide radicals in a cell environment. In this study, the possibility of cyclic-2’-deoxyadenosines formation by a rearrangement of their free radicals was investigated. It seems that for cyclic-nucleosides formation, adoption of an O4’-exo conformation by the sugar moiety is necessary. However, this is the energetically unfavoured form of the 2-deoxyribose ring. Moreover, the creation of a O5’, C8 bond in purine deoxy-nucleosides/nucleotides leads to the termination of the DNA elongation process.

In this study the influence of the phosphorothioate internucleotide bond on the electronic properties of single and double-stranded short nucleotides has been investigated at the M06-2X/6-31+G** level of theory in the gaseous phase. Due to the chirality of the phosphorus atom in a phosphorothioate (PT) internucleotide diester bond, the adiabatic/vertical mode of electron affinity/ionization potential, spin density and molecular orbital distribution, as well as structural analysis were taken under consideration for the single stranded (ss) R(P) and S(P) diastereomers of d[G(PS)G] and for double stranded (ds) d[G(PS)G]*d[C(PO)C], in comparison with the corresponding parent phosphate compounds. Moreover, the excitation states, HOMO and LUMO energies were calculated using a TD-DFT methodology at the M06-2X/6-31+G**//M06-2X/6-31++G** level of theory in the aqueous phase. The obtained results show that the PT plays a significant role in the case of ss-oligonucleotides, and to a much smaller extent in ds-oligomers.

This study describes the influence of the phosphorothioate internucleotide bond on the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) oxidation process. The interaction of an ultraviolet radiation (UVA) with a targeted double-stranded (ds) oligonucleotide, in which one strand contains an antraquinone (AQ) moiety on the 5’-end, may lead to a hole migration process through the double helix. In the end, the migration of theformed radical cation terminates in a suitable place. Usually, this is a guanine-rich sequence. In another experiment, phosphorothioate internucleotide bonds were detected in the bacterial genome as a natural modification. In this study, a polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) autoradiogram analysis of irradiated ds-DNA showed that the oxidation reaction was not inhibited by an isolated guanine. Instead, irrespective of the absence or presence of a phosphorothioate bond, the termination of the ds-DNA oxidation process was predominantly observed on the thymine moieties. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that in the discussed case, a hole migration by a hopping mechanism is in competition with an oxidation reaction with a superoxide radical anion. Alternatively, the radical cation migration process is sequence-dependent due to its different ionization potentials. Therefore, the presence of a phosphorothioate internucleotide bond did not change the stability of ds-DNA under UVA irradiation conditions.

The presence of 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine (5′S)-cdA induces modifications in the geometry of the DNA duplex in the 5′-end direction of the strand and in the 3′-end direction of the complementary strand. As a consequence, the enzymes are probably not able to adjust their active sites in this rigid structure. Additionally, clustered DNA damage sites, a signature of ionising radiation, pose a severe challenge to a cell's repair machinery, particularly base excision repair (BER). To date, clusters containing a DNA base lesion, (5′S)-cdA, which is repaired by nucleotide excision repair, have not been explored. We have therefore investigated whether bistranded clusters containing (5′S)-cdA influence the repairability of an opposed AP site lesion, which is repaired by BER. Using synthetic oligonucleotides containing a bistranded cluster with (5′S)-cdA and an AP site at different interlesion separations, we have shown that in the presence of (5′S)-cdA on the 5′-end side, repair of the AP site by the BER machinery is retarded when the AP site is ≤8 bases from the (5′S)-cdA. However, if (5′S)-cdA is located on the 3′-end side with respect to the AP site, the effect on its repair is much weaker and totally disappears for distances ≥8 bases.

Reactions of reactive oxygen species and more specifically - of hydroxyl radical ((*)OH) - with nucleosides may lead to the generation of radicals in the base and 2-deoxyribose moieties. In the present study emphasis was put on the possible reaction modes of 2'-deoxyadenosine (dA) radicals, leading to the formation of related 5',8-cyclonucleosides. It appears that the prerequisite for the formation of 5',8-cyclo-2'-deoxyadenosine (cdA) is the adoption of O4'-exo conformation by 2-deoxyribose; however, this is the least energetically favored conformer among the different puckered forms adopted by the furanose ring. The O4'-exo conformation was found to be present in each of the discussed mechanisms.

The new pyrazole ligand 5-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-methyl-1-(2-pyridylo)-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (2) and the corresponding Pt(II), Pd(II) and Cu(II) complexes 3–5 have been synthesized as potential anticancer compounds, and characterized using IR, and 1H NMR as well as mass spectrometry. The 3-D structures of the Cu(II) complexes were determined by quantum mechanic calculation DFT methodology (density functional theory). The cytotoxicity assay of the ligand and complexes has been performed on leukemia cell lines. In general, the complexes showed lower cytotoxicity than cisplatin, and the Pt(II) and Cu(II) complexes were found to be more efficient in the induction of leukemia cell death than the Pd(II) complex. Our investigations indicate that the antiproliferating activity of the Pt(II) and Cu(II) complexes was partly due to the modulation of cellular differentiation.