The protection of DNA in blood leukocytes from damaging action of ultraviolet radiation using the “Useful Sun” strategy

Abstract

The damaging effects of light that was emitted by a DRSh250-3 mercury lamp on the DNA of mouse blood leukocytes was studied in vitro. It was shown that the main DNA damage is due to the action of UVB radiation (280–320 nm). Under the combined effects of the UV radiation and the orange–red fluorescent component it was found that the additional fluorescent light with the spectral maximum at 625 nm from nanoluminophore materials (quantum dots that are based on CdSe/ZnS, CdSe/CdS/ZnS) protected the cellular DNA from the damaging effect of UV radiation. Using nanomolar concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, the hypothesis of the role of reactive oxygen species in the protective effects of the red–orange light was tested in vitro. It was shown for the first time that the mechanisms of the protective effects are associated with the induction of an adaptive response by nanomolar concentrations of hydrogen peroxide that are induced by the orange–red light.