Radio- and photosensitization of DNA with compounds containing platinum and bromine atoms

Irradiations of plasmid DNA by both X-rays and UV light in the presence and absence of compounds containing platinum and bromine atoms were performed in order to asses the sensitization potential of these compounds. Plasmid DNA pBR322 was incubated with platinum (II) bromide, hydrogen hexabromoplatinate (IV), hydrogen hexahydroxyplatinate (IV) and sodium hexahydroxyplatinate (IV). Incubation was followed by X-ray or UV irradiations. It was found that amongst the sensitizers tested, during irradiations carried out in the presence of platinum (II) bromide, the highest levels of double strand breaks formation upon X-ray treatment were recorded. In contrast much less damage was induced by UV light. Data presented here suggests that this compound may be a promising radiosensitizer for cancer treatment

Electron swarm transport in THF and water mixtures

The transport coefficients of electrons in mixtures of gaseous water and tetrahydrofuran (THF) are calculated using a multi-term solution of the Boltzmann equation. Electron transport coefficients at room temperature are presented over a range of reduced electric fields from 0.1–1000 Td, with significant differences between the behaviour in pure water and pure THF being found. The influence of the water to THF mixture ratio on the calculated transport coefficients is also presented

Recent research directions in Fribourg: nuclear dynamics in resonances revealed by 2-dimensional EEL spectra, electron collisions with ionic liquids and electronic excitation of pyrimidine

The article briefly reviews three subjects recently investigated in Fribourg: (i) electron collisions with surfaces of ionic liquids, (ii) two-dimensional (2D) electron energy loss spectra and (iii) resonances in absolute cross sections for electronic excitation of unsaturated compounds. Electron energy loss spectra of four ionic liquids revealed a number of excited states, including triplet states. A solution of a dye in an ionic liquid showed an energy-loss band of the solute, but not in all ionic liquids. 2D spectra reveal state-to-state information (given resonance to given final state) and are shown to be an interesting means to gain insight into dynamics of nuclear motion in resonances. Absolute cross sections for pyrimidine are reported as a function of scattering angle and as a function of electron energy. They reveal resonant structure which was reproduced very nicely by R-matrix calculations. The calculation provided an assignment of the resonances which reveals common patterns in compounds containing double bonds

Low-energy electron-induced DNA damage: effect of base sequence in oligonucleotide trimers

DNA damage induced by low-energy electrons (LEEs) has attracted considerable attention in recent years because LEEs represent a large percentage of the total energy deposited by ionizing radiation and because LEEs have been shown to damage DNA components. In this article, we have studied the effect of base sequences in a series of oligonucleotide trimers by the analysis of damage remaining within the nonvolatile condensed phase after LEE irradiation. The model compounds include TXT, where X represents one of the four normal bases of DNA (thymine (T), cytosine (C), adenine (A), and guanine (G)). Using HPLC-UV analysis, several known fragments were quantified from the release of nonmodified nucleobases (T and X) as well as from phosphodiester C-O bond cleavage (pT, pXT, Tp, and TXp). The total damage was estimated by the disappearance of the parent peaks in the chromatogram of nonirradiated and irradiated samples. When trimers were irradiated with LEE (10 eV), the total damage decreased 2-fold in the following order: TTT > TCT > TAT > TGT. The release of nonmodified nuclobases (giving from 17 to 24% of the total products) mainly occurred from the terminal sites of trimers (i.e., T) whereas the release of central nucleobases was minor (C) or not at all detected (A and G). In comparison, the formation of products arising from phosphodiester bond cleavage accounted for 9 to 20% of the total damage and it partitioned to the four possible sites of cleavage present in trimers. This study indicates that the initial LEE capture and subsequent bond breaking within the intermediate anion depend on the sequence and electron affinity of the bases, with the most damage attributed to the most electronegative base, T

New Fragmentation Pathways in K-THF Collisions as Studied by Electron Transfer Experiments: Negative Ion Formation

Time-of-flight (TOF) negative ion mass spectra have been obtained in collisions of 20−100 eV neutral potassium atoms with tetrahydrofuran (C4H8O), an analogue for the sugar unit in DNA/RNA. Major enhancements in O− and C2H3O− production were observed compared with earlier dissociative electron attachment (DEA) experiments. In further contrast with DEA, no evidence was observed for dehydrogenated parent anions, and three new fragment anions were detected: CH−, C2−, and C2H−. These contrasting results for potassium impact and DEA highlight significant differences in the reaction pathways initiated by the two electron delivery processes