Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 9, 2026
13:09
Demonstration of the DNA Fiber Assay for Investigating DNA Damage and Repair Dynamics Induced by Nanoparticles
Published on: March 3, 2023
5.2K
Probing DNA damage induced by common antiviral agents using multiple analytical techniques
Amira F El-Yazbi1, Glen R Loppnow2
1Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G2, Canada; Department of Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis
|May 30, 2018
Summary
Certain antiviral drugs, daclatasvir and ledipasvir, can damage DNA, potentially offering new treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) in patients resistant to standard therapies.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Oncology
Background:
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent global malignancy.
- Chronic hepatitis B and C infections are primary causes of HCC worldwide.
- Investigating novel therapeutic strategies for HCC is crucial, especially for drug-resistant cases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the DNA damaging effects of FDA-approved antiviral drugs.
- To elucidate the mechanism of action of potential anticancer agents for HCC.
- To identify antiviral drugs that may serve as alternative treatments for HCC.
Main Methods:
- Absorption spectroscopy to detect DNA structural changes.
- MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to identify DNA strand breaks.
- Fluorimetric analysis using EvaGreen dye to assess drug-DNA interactions.
Main Results:
- Daclatasvir and ledipasvir were found to induce DNA damage.
- Spectroscopic and mass spectrometry data indicated disruption of DNA structure and strand breaks.
- EvaGreen fluorescence reduction suggested drug-induced DNA damage, particularly in guanine-rich regions.
Conclusions:
- Daclatasvir and ledipasvir exhibit DNA damaging properties, likely via oxidative mechanisms.
- These antiviral drugs show promise as alternative treatments for drug-resistant HCC.
- Drug concentration and guanine-rich DNA regions influence the observed DNA damage.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Local Anesthetics: Common Agents and Their Applications
981
Local anesthetics (LAs) are commonly used for various applications in medical and dental procedures. Some of the common agents used are cocaine, lidocaine, and bupivacaine.
Cocaine is an ester of benzoic acid and methylecgogine. It is used to anesthetize and vasoconstrict locally. Currently, it is used primarily for topical applications. It is beneficial for surgeries on the upper respiratory tract, providing anesthesia and shrinking the mucosa. Cocaine in the form of cocaine hydrochloride is...
Cocaine is an ester of benzoic acid and methylecgogine. It is used to anesthetize and vasoconstrict locally. Currently, it is used primarily for topical applications. It is beneficial for surgeries on the upper respiratory tract, providing anesthesia and shrinking the mucosa. Cocaine in the form of cocaine hydrochloride is...
981
03:31Labeling DNA Probes
9.4K
DNA probes are fragments of DNA labeled with a reporter tag to enable their detection or purification. The resulting labeled DNA probes can then hybridize to target nucleic acid sequences through complementary base-pairing, and may be used to recover or identify these regions.
Radioisotopes, fluorophores, or small molecule binding partners like biotin or digoxigenin, are the most widely used reporter tags for labeling DNA probes. These labels can be attached to the probe DNA molecule via...
Radioisotopes, fluorophores, or small molecule binding partners like biotin or digoxigenin, are the most widely used reporter tags for labeling DNA probes. These labels can be attached to the probe DNA molecule via...
9.4K
02:36DNA Damage Can Stall the Cell Cycle
3.2K
In response to DNA damage, cells can pause the cell cycle to assess and repair the breaks. However, the cell must check the DNA at certain critical stages during the cell cycle. If the cell cycle pauses before DNA replication, the cells will contain twice the amount of DNA. On the other hand, if cells arrest after DNA replication but before mitosis, they will contain four times the normal amount of DNA. With a host of specialized proteins at their disposal,cells must use the right protein at...
3.2K
02:36DNA Damage can Stall the Cell Cycle
10.1K
In response to DNA damage, cells can pause the cell cycle to assess and repair the breaks. However, the cell must check the DNA at certain critical stages during the cell cycle. If the cell cycle pauses before DNA replication, the cells will contain twice the amount of DNA. On the other hand, if cells arrest after DNA replication but before mitosis, they will contain four times the normal amount of DNA. With a host of specialized proteins at their disposal,cells must use the right protein at...
10.1K
03:24Common Ion Effect
47.0K
Compared with pure water, the solubility of an ionic compound is less in aqueous solutions containing a common ion (one also produced by dissolution of the ionic compound). This is an example of a phenomenon known as the common ion effect, which is a consequence of the law of mass action that may be explained using Le Châtelier’s principle. Consider the dissolution of silver iodide:
47.0K
02:25Overview of DNA Repair
33.8K
In order to be passed through generations, genomic DNA must be undamaged and error-free. However, every day, DNA in a cell undergoes several thousand to a million damaging events by natural causes and external factors. Ionizing radiation such as UV rays, free radicals produced during cellular respiration, and hydrolytic damage from metabolic reactions can alter the structure of DNA. Damages caused include single-base alteration, base dimerization, chain breaks, and cross-linkage.
Chemically...
Chemically...
33.8K