Abstract
Doxycycline (DOXY) is an antibiotic routinely prescribed in human and veterinary medicine for antibacterial treatment, but it has also numerous side effects that include oxidative stress, inflammation, cancer or hypoxia-induced injury. Endogenously produced hydrogen sulfide (H&sub2;S) and polysulfides affect similar biological processes, in which reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a role. Herein, we have studied the interaction of DOXY with H&sub2;S (Na&sub2;S) or polysulfides (Na&sub2;S&sub2;, Na&sub2;S&sub3; and Na&sub2;S&sub4;) to gain insights into the biological effects of intermediates/products that they generate. To achieve this, UV-VIS, EPR spectroscopy and plasmid DNA (pDNA) cleavage assay were employed. Na&sub2;S or Na&sub2;S&sub2; in a mixture with DOXY, depending on ratio, concentration and time, displayed bell-shape kinetics in terms of producing/scavenging superoxide and hydroxyl radicals and decomposing hydrogen peroxide. In contrast, the effects of individual compounds (except for Na&sub2;S&sub2;) were hardly observable. In addition, DOXY, as well as oxytetracycline and tetracycline, interacting with Na&sub2;S or other studied polysulfides reduced the •cPTIO radical. Tetracyclines induced pDNA cleavage in the presence of Na&sub2;S. Interestingly, they inhibited pDNA cleavage induced by other polysulfides. In conclusion, sulfide and polysulfides interacting with tetracyclines produce/scavenge free radicals, indicating a consequence for free radical biology under conditions of ROS production and tetracyclines administration.