Reactive Oxygen Species Generated from the Reaction of Copper(II) Complexes with Biological Reductants Cause DNA Strand Scission

Killing of Bacillus Spores by Aqueous Dissolved Oxygen, Ascorbic Acid, and Copper Ions

“…AA (vitamin C) has long been recognized as an efficient free radical scavenger (11), but under certain conditions of high concentration and the presence of transition metals and dissolved oxygen, it can function as a prooxidant (7,24). Copper ions are especially active (29) in forming hydroxyl radicals under aerobic conditions in the presence of AA (1). In biological systems, copper(II) chemically complexes with DNA or RNA, upon which a site-specific formation of hydroxyl radicals can occur causing DNA or RNA strand scission (23,29).…”

“…Copper ions are especially active (29) in forming hydroxyl radicals under aerobic conditions in the presence of AA (1). In biological systems, copper(II) chemically complexes with DNA or RNA, upon which a site-specific formation of hydroxyl radicals can occur causing DNA or RNA strand scission (23,29). At high concentrations of AA, copper(II) is rapidly reduced to copper(I) with the formation of the oxidized form of AA, dehydroascorbic acid (DAA).…”

Accumulation of Copper Induces DNA Strand Breaks in Brain Cells of Long-Evans Cinnamon (LEC) Rats, An Animal Model for Human Wilson Disease

“…It has been shown that ROS induce several types of DNA damage, such as base alteration and DNA strand breaks [16,42,49]. We showed that DNA strand breaks are induced in hepatic and renal cells of LEC rats by copper accumulation [8,10,11].…”

Potential-modulated DNA Cleavage by (N-Salicylideneglycinato)-copper(II) Complex

“…21 hydrogen peroxide. 30,31 For exploring the role of oxygen in potential-modulated DNA cleavage by Cu(salgly) 2+ complex, we designed the experiments under three cases: 1) The solution was deoxygenated by N2 for 15 min; 2) The solution was saturated by air; 3) The solution was aerated with a small flow O2 during electrolysis. The electrolysis time was controlled for 30 min in each case.…”