Mitomycin C-induced deoxyribose degradation inhibited by superoxide dismutase. A reaction involving iron, hydroxyl and semiquinone radicals.

Mitomycin C stimulates deoxyribose degradation with the release of thiobarbituric acid-reactive material under conditions of low oxygen concentration. This damage is inhibited by scavengers of the hydroxyl radical, iron chelators and the specific proteins catalase and superoxide dismutase. The reactive radical species appears to arise from a Fenton-type sequence in which iron is reduced by the mitomycin C semiquinone radical.