Singlet oxygen is the major species participating in the induction of DNA strand breakage and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine adduct by lead acetate.

To investigate DNA damage induced by Pb2+ and its prevention by scavengers, we determined DNA strand breakage and the formation of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in DNA using plasmid relaxation assay and HPLC with electrochemical detection, respectively. Lead acetate induced DNA strand breakage in 10 mM of Hepes buffer, pH 6.8, in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Compared with lead, zinc acetate did not significantly induce DNA breakage. The singlet oxygen scavengers NaN3 and 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone (TEMP) inhibited lead-induced DNA breakage more efficiently than the hydroxyl radical scavengers mannitol and DMPO. Deuterium oxide (D2O), a singlet oxygen enhancer, potentiated lead-induced DNA breakage. At low ratios to Pb2+, NADPH, glutathione, and 2-mercaptoethanol enhanced lead-induced DNA breakage, whereas high ratios of these agents protected it. Catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) did not protect DNA breaks induced by Pb2+. Lead-induced DNA breakage was markedly enhanced by H2O2, and this induction was inhibited by NaN3, TEMP, EDTA, catalase, BSA, and glutathione. In contrast, mannitol and SOD potentiated Pb2+/H2O2-induced DNA breaks. The results indicate that singlet oxygen, lead, and H2O2 are all involved in the reaction system, whereas hydroxyl radical and superoxide did not. Lead could cause a small amount of 8-OHdG formation in calf thymus DNA and dose-dependently induced the formation of this adduct in the presence of H2O2. Singlet oxygen scavengers were more effective than hydroxyl radical scavengers in protection from lead/H2O2-induced 8-OHdG adducts. Taken together, these results suggest that lead may induce DNA damage through a Fenton-like reaction and that singlet oxygen is the principal species involved.