Peroxidative in vitro metabolism of diethylstilbestrol induces formation of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine.

The generation of superoxide and hydroxyl radicals is known to be implicated in the hydroxylation of 2'-deoxyguanosine (dG) at the C-8 position and of guanine base residues in DNA. It was also shown previously that in the presence of horseradish peroxidase, hydrogen peroxide and Fe3+ - EDTA complex, diethylstilbestrol (DES) induces single strand breaks in DNA, caused by the production of superoxide anion (O2-) and hydroxyl (OH.) radicals. By means of high-pressure liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection a strong indication is adduced that dG is oxidized to 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine during peroxidative in vitro metabolism of DES, which might be at the basis of DES induced cell transformation.