Boronated Condensed DNA as a Heterochromatic Radiation Target Model

Biomacromolecules. 2021 Apr 12;22(4):1675-1684. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.1c00106. Epub 2021 Mar 22.

Abstract

The compound 4-dihydroxyboryl-l-phenylalanine (BPA) has found use in clinical trials of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). Here, we have examined the interaction with DNA of an amide-blocked BPA derivative of hexa-l-arginine (Ac-BPA-Arg6-NH2). Physical and spectroscopic assays show that this peptide binds to and condenses DNA. The resulting condensates are highly resistant to the effects of nuclease incubation (68-fold) and gamma (38-fold) irradiation. Radioprotection was modeled by Monte Carlo track structure simulations of DNA single strand breaks (SSBs) with TOPAS-nBio. The differences between experimental and simulated SSB yields for uncondensed and condensed DNAs were ca. 2 and 18%, respectively. These observations indicate that the combination of a plasmid DNA target, the BPA-containing peptide, and track structure simulation provides a powerful approach to characterize DNA damage by the high-LET radiation associated with neutron capture on boron.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Boron
  • Boron Compounds
  • Boron Neutron Capture Therapy*
  • DNA
  • Monte Carlo Method
  • Neutrons

Substances

  • Boron Compounds
  • DNA
  • Boron