The Photodynamic Action of Anthraquinone Derivatives on Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) : Scission of the DNA Chain

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Abstract
The photodynamic action of anthraquinone derivatives on calf thymus DNA and the mechanism involved in the reaction was studied. When the aqueous mixture of DNA and anthraquinone derivatives was irradiated by light above 290 nm, the melting point and viscosity of DNA decreased in the order of 2-anthraquinone-sulfonate, 2-anthraquinonecarboxylic acid and 1-anthraquinonesulfonate. No effect was seen with 1,5- and 1,8-anthraquinonedisulfonate. The degree of the photodynamic action of anthraquinones on DNA paralleled the quantity of H2O2 produced by the photoirradiation of aqueous solution of anthraquinone derivatives. Results of the i-assay and sucrose density gradient centrifugation experiments indicated that scission of the DNA chain took place by the photodynamic action of anthraquinone derivatives. Examination of the reaction mechanism revealed that hydroxyl radical produced in the aqueous solution of anthraquinone derivatives during photoirradiation played an important role in the photosensitization reaction of DNA.

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