Inhibition of mammalian DNA polymerases by hematoporphyrin derivative and photoradiation.

Hematoporphyrin derivative (HPD) plus photoradiation caused the inactivation of DNA polymerases from calf thymus and R3230AC rat mammary tumor. Photosensitization of purified DNA polymerase-alpha as well as two forms of DNA polymerase-delta (I and II) from calf thymus were evaluated. Although all polymerase enzyme forms were inactivated at 70 micrograms HPD/ml, DNA polymerase-delta II was the most sensitive, displaying a 90% inactivation under conditions that did not cause significant inactivation of the other polymerase forms. Unlike DNA polymerase-alpha, the delta-forms have an associated 3'- to 5'-exonuclease activity. The exonuclease associated with DNA polymerase-delta II was uniquely sensitive to a low level of HPD and light exposure. DNA polymerase-delta II can be distinguished from other polymerase forms in cell extracts by its relative insensitivity to the polymerase inhibitor N2-(p-n-butylphenyl)deoxyadenosine 5'-triphosphate. In cytosols prepared from calf thymus and R3230AC rat mammary tumors, DNA polymerase-delta II was preferentially inhibited by HPD plus light. Furthermore, in experiments in which tumor-bearing rats were administered HPD prior to preparation of tumor cytosols, DNA polymerase-delta II was specifically inactivated by exposure to light. These results are discussed in view of their possible role in cancer therapy, and the potential use of HPD as a specific inhibitory agent of DNA polymerase-delta II is suggested.