Clear evidence for the participation of OH in lambda DNA breakage induced by the enzymatic reduction of adriamycin in the presence of iron-ADP. Importance of local OH concentration for DNA strand cleavage.

lambda DNA (a double-stranded DNA) was exposed to several adriamycin-mediated active oxygen generating systems (O2- and H2O2 generating, OH generating, and perferryl ion complex generating), extracted, and analyzed by gel electrophoresis on agarose gel. Only the DNA exposed to and subsequently isolated from the adriamycin-mediated OH generating system contained many DNA fragments of low molecular weight, indicating the breakage of DNA strands. Such a breakage was strikingly inhibited by catalase or 50 mM sodium benzoate, but not by superoxide dismutase. The local OH concentration near the DNA strand was considered to be important for DNA strand cleavage.