RNA Oxidative Damage by the Iron-Fenton Reaction is Influenced by Bicarbonate Concentration and Ligand Strength.

ABSTRACT: Oxidative damage to RNA is associated with neurodegeneration, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer development. Studies that monitor RNA damage by H₂O₂ often omit the physiological buffer bicarbonate in the reaction, which fails to account for the influence of the buffer on the iron-Fenton reaction. Herein, we monitored two in vitro systems to understand how bicarbonate redirects the iron-Fenton reaction from a hydroxyl radical (HO^•) generator in the absence of bicarbonate to one that predominantly yields carbonate radical anion (CO₃^•-) in the presence of this buffer. Using the HO^•-selective fluorophore terephthalic acid, we found that the Fe(II)-ligand identity impacted the bicarbonate concentration required to transition th

SUBMITTER: Dingman JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12628338 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature