M Rougée — Page 2 | PubMed Health

PubMed1989

Interactions of the dimethyldiazaperopyrenium dication with nucleic acids. 2. Binding to double-stranded polynucleotides.

The interactions of dimethyldiazaperopyrenium dication (1) with DNA have been studied by spectroscopic methods: absorption, static and dynamic fluorescence, and linear dichroism. 1 binds strongly to DNA at 250 mM NaCl, with a higher affinity for G-C pairs as compared to A-T pairs. The dye fluorescence is enhanced when it is bound to A-T pairs, whereas the emission is quenched in the vicinity of G-C pairs. Evidence for intercalation has been obtained via energy transfer and linear dichroism measurements.

Base Composition↗

PubMed1988

[Correlation of the rates of singlet oxygen inactivation by phenols and their efficacy in the inhibition of neoplasms induced by benzo(a)pyrene].

Prooxidant states, characterised by an increase in the intracellular concentration of activated forms of oxygen, are able to promote tumors. The inhibitory effects of synthetic phenolic compounds added to the diet of mice on benzo(a)pyrene-induced neoplasia of the forestomach have been determined by Wattenberg et al. The efficiency of this inhibition has been estimated quantitatively for each phenol, using the ratio R of the number of tumors per mouse in the treated group over the number of tumors per mouse in the control group. We have observed a linear correlation between the antitumoral efficiency (1-R) and the logarithm of the rate of quenching of singlet oxygen, k, y, by this family of phenols, log k being itself correlated with the half-wave oxidation potential of the phenols. These correlations suggest a charge transfer mechanism for the inhibition of neoplasia induced by benzo(a)pyrene, B(a)P. It should be pointed out that singlet oxygen can be generated via enzymatic reactions in the dark and thus might play a role in the formation of the ultimate carcinogenic metabolite B(a)P-7, 8-dihydroxy-9, 10-epoxide. The correlations described emphasize the interest in scaling the inhibitors of mutagenicity induced by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with respect to their oxidation potentials. Our result is a first step towards a better understanding of the molecular reactions involved in chemically-induced neoplasia and in its prevention.

Animals↗

PubMed1976

Five-coordinate iron-porphyrin as a model for the active site of hemoproteins. Characterization and coordination properties.

Preparation of iron(III)-deuteroporphyrin 6(7)-methyl ester, 7(6)-(histidine methyl ester) by coupling histidine methyl ester to deuterohemin has been performed using the mixed carboxylic/carbonic-acid-anhydride method. This compound, which is very soluble in various organic solvents, can be considered as a prosthetic group model for the active site of five-coordinate hemoproteins. In the oxidized state a basic, a neutral or an acid form can be isolated. The basic and acid forms are monomeric at all concentrations. The neutral form is found dimeric in concentrated solutions while it is monomeric at low concentration. The coordination state of iron in these various species is investigated. The neutral form reacts with ligands, such as nitrogenous organic bases, leading to six-coordinate well-known hemichromes which exhibit low-spin electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra. The reaction of anionic ligands, such as F-, CN-, NO-2 and N-3, with the neutral form model leads to unsymmetrical six-coordinate complexes whose optical and ESR spectra are similar to those of synthetic deuteromyoglobin. In benzene, toluene or dichloromethane solutions iron (II)-deuteroporphyrin 6(7)-methyl ester, 7(6)-histidine methyl ester), obtained from ferric forms by heterogeneous reduction with aqueous dithionite, exhibits an optical spectrum characteristic of a five-coordinate high-spin ferrous complex. At low temperature important spectral modifications are observed indicating a dimeric association. At room temperature it binds one nitrogenous base molecule leading to the well-known hemochrome. It reacts also with carbon monoxide with a very high affinity constant (4.5 X 10(8) M-1), comparable to that of the isolated human hemoglobin alpha and beta chains, but much higher than the values reported for other various models, suggesting that the side-chain length bearing the fifth ligand may have an important influence upon the reactivity of the sixth position of the iron ion. At low temperature in toluene or dichloromethane, this compound reversibly binds oxygen without oxidation of the iron ion while oxidation occurs at room temperature. The significance of these results is discussed in relation with the local environment, the electronic nature of the base and the immobilization of the heme group in hemoproteins.

Binding Sites↗