title: Copper (II) induced radiosensitization of thymine.
abstract: An aqueous solution of thymine (2 x 10(-3) M, pH 5.6) was irradiated with 60Co gamma-rays in the absence and in the presence of CuSO4 (5 x 10(-4) M) under different conditions. In argon and N2O saturated solutions, the presence of CuSO4 increased the radiosensitivity of thymine to a greater extent, while the product distribution was changed. Thus in the presence of CuSO4 the formation of dimeric products was prevented and the yields of cis-thymine glycol and 5-hydroxymethyl uracil were greatly increased. The sensitized degradation was suggested to be due to the oxidation of the transient hydroxyl adducts of thymine by copper ions.
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Chemistry Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Bidhannagar Calcutta, India.
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Bhattacharyya
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Mandal
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chakraborty
mesh_terms: D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D003300:Copper; D019327:Copper Sulfate; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005720:Gamma Rays; D007700:Kinetics; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013941:Thymine / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D003300:Copper; D019327:Copper Sulfate; D013941:Thymine