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Deoxythymidine-Pterin Fluorescent Adduct Formation through a Photosensitized Process
Sandra Estébanez1, Andrés H Thomas1, Carolina Lorente1
1Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA), Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), CCT La Plata-CONICET, Casilla de Correo 16, Sucursal 4 (1900), La Plata, Argentina.
Researchers discovered a new fluorescent compound formed from pterin and 2'deoxythymidine under UVA light. This molecule, similar to pterin, shows high fluorescence and singlet oxygen production, relevant to photochemistry and biological systems.
Area of Science:
- Photochemistry
- Biochemistry
- Organic Chemistry
Background:
- Pterins are naturally occurring compounds found in biological systems.
- Pterins are photochemically active and can generate singlet oxygen under UVA radiation.
- Accumulation of pterins can occur in certain pathological conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and characterize a novel fluorescent compound formed from pterin and 2'deoxythymidine under UVA irradiation.
- To investigate the photophysical properties of the newly synthesized compound.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of the compound from UVA-irradiated aqueous solutions of pterin and 2'deoxythymidine under anaerobic conditions.
- Structural characterization using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).
- Photophysical property analysis using time-correlated single-photon-counting (TCSPC) technique.
Main Results:
- A new fluorescent compound was successfully isolated.
- Structural analysis confirmed the attachment of the pterinic moiety to the thymine nucleobase.
- The isolated compound demonstrated photophysical properties comparable to pterin, including significant fluorescence and singlet oxygen production.
Conclusions:
- A novel pterin-thymine adduct is formed under UVA irradiation.
- This compound retains key photophysical characteristics of pterins, such as fluorescence and photosensitization.
- The findings contribute to understanding pterin photochemistry and its potential implications in biological contexts.
