Sources of 2,5-diaminoimidazolone lesions in DNA damage initiated by hydroxyl radical attack

The present study reports radiation-chemical yields of 2.5-diaminoimidazolone (Iz) derivatives in X-irradiated phosphate-buffered solutions of guanosine and double-stranded DNA. Various gassing conditions (air, N₂0/O₂ (4:1), N₂O, vacuum) were employed to elucidate the contribution of several alternative pathways leading to Iz in reactions initiated by hydroxyl radical attack on guanine. In all systems, Iz was identified as the second by abundance guanine degradation product after 8-oxoguanine, formed in 1:5 (guanosine) and 1:3.3 (DNA) ratio to the latter in air-saturated solutions. Experimental data strongly suggest that the addition of molecular oxygen to the neutral guanine radical G(-H)^• plays a major in Iz production in oxygenated solutions of double-stranded DNA while in other systems it may compete with recombination of G(-H)^• with superoxide and/or alkyl peroxyl radicals. The production of Iz through hydroxyl radical attack on 8-oxoguanine was also shown to take place although the chemical yield of Iz (ca 6%) in this process is too low to compete with the other pathways. The linearity of Iz accumulation with dose also indicates a negligible contribution of this channel to its yield in all systems.