OH-induced free radicals in uridine studied by a method combining ESR, spin-trapping, and liquid chromatography.

Free radicals produced by the reactions of OH radicals with uridine were investigated by a method combining ESR, spin-trapping, and liquid chromatography. A N2O-saturated aqueous solution of uridine, containing 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane as a spin-trap, was X-irradiated and the resulting spin-adducts were separated by gel permeation chromatography and reverse-phase HPLC. ESR and uv-absorbance spectra obtained from the separated spin-adducts show that 5-yl and 6-yl radicals are produced by OH addition to the 5,6 double bond of the base moiety. It is also shown that radicals due to H abstraction from the sugar moiety at the C-4' and C-5' positions are produced.