Ahsan U. Khan, Ying-Hua Mei, Thérèse Wilson
Dec 1, 1992
Citations
3
Influential Citations
137
Citations
Quality indicators
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Abstract
Like all aliphatic amines, the polyamines spermine and spermidine are physical quenchers of singlet molecular oxygen (1O2*). The rate constants of these processes were determined in vitro with photochemically generated 1O2* and the hydrocarbon rubrene as substrate, in pyridine. At millimolar concentration, spermine and spermidine should quench 1O2* in vivo and prevent it from damaging DNA. It is proposed that a biological function of polyamines is the protection of replicating DNA against oxidative damage.