DNA or RNA damage is due to environmental factors and normal metabolic processes inside the cell, that then
hinder the ability of the cell to carry out its functions.
There are four main types of DNA due to endogenous
cellular processes and they are oxidation, alkylation,
hydrolysis and mismatch of the bases. During the
oxidation of bases, highly reactive chemical entities
collectively known as RONS, occurs. RONS stands for
reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and includes nitric
oxide, superoxide, hydroxyl radical, hydrogen peroxide
and peroxynitrite. Numerous studies have shown that
RONS causes a variety of issues including DNA damage
(1).
8-hydroxyguanine, 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanonsine and 8-
hydroxyguanosine are all RNA and DNA markers of
oxidative damage. 8-hydroxy-2’-guanosine is produced
by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species including
hydroxyl radical and peroxynitrite. Specifically its high
biological relevance is due to its ability to induce G to T
transversions, which is one of the most frequent somatic
mutations (2). 8-hydroxy-guanine has been the most
frequently studied type of DNA base damage, with
studies in diabetes, and cancer. Base modifications of
this type arise from radical-induced hydroxylation and
cleavage reactions of the purine ring (3, 4). And finally,
8-hydroxy-guanosine, like 8-hydroxy-2’-guanosine,
induces a mutagenic transversion of G to T in DNA. Its
role has specifically been tested in the development of
diabetes, hypertension and strokes (5, 6, and 7).