Correlation between DNA-Breaking Activity of Aminosugars and the Amounts of Active Oxygen Molecules Generated in Their Aqueous Solutions

抄録

The generation of active oxygen molecules, O₂^-, H₂O₂, and •OH, from the aqueous solution of aminosugars, such as D-glucosamine, was confirmed by their actual measurement. Both the C-2 amino and C-1 aldehyde groups in the aminosugar molecules were indispensable for the generation of active oxygen molecules. The introduction of a C-6 phosphate group to D-glucosamine or the simultaneous use of phosphate ion and D-glucosamine heightened the original activity of D-glucosamine to generate these oxygens, especially •OH. Cu²⁺, which promoted the DNA-breaking activity of aminosugar most at 1 mM, also promoted the generation of •OH most greatly at the same concentration, but neither O₂^- nor H₂O₂ was generated under the same conditions. Superoxide dismutase, catalase, and some radical scavengers inhibited the generation of these active oxygen molecules. Among the active oxygen molecules, only the amount of •OH generated was directly proportional to the DNA-breaking activity of the aminosugar.