• Chinese Optics Letters
  • Vol. 3, Issue 5, 05289 (2005)
Dianfeng Zhou1、2, Hang Heng1, Kang Ji1, and Weizhong Ke1、*
Author Affiliations
  • 1Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Photoelectric Technology, Analysis and Test Centre, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210097
  • 2Physics Department of Yancheng Normal College, Yancheng 224002
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    Dianfeng Zhou, Hang Heng, Kang Ji, Weizhong Ke. Effects of different levels of vitamin C on UV radiation-induced DNA damage[J]. Chinese Optics Letters, 2005, 3(5): 05289 Copy Citation Text show less

    Abstract

    The Raman spectra of DNA in different levels of vitamin C with 10- and 30-min ultraviolet (UV) radiations were reported. The intensity of UV radiation was 18.68 W/m2. The experimental results proved that vitamin C could alone prevent UV radiation from damaging DNA, but the effects depended on the concentration of vitamin C. When the concentration of vitamin C was about 0.08-0.4 mmol/L, vitamin C decreased UV radiation-induced DNA's damage. When the concentration of vitamin C exceeded 0.4 mmol/L, vitamin C accelerated DNA's damage instead. Maybe the reason is that when DNA in aqueous solution is radiated by UV, free radicals come into being, and vitamin C can scavenge free radicals, so vitamin C in lower concentration can protect DNA. The quantity of free radicals is finite, when vitamin C is superfluous, free radicals have been scavenged absolutely and vitamin C is residual. Vitamin C is a strong reductant. When the mixture of DNA and residual vitamin C is radiated by UV, vitamin C reacts with DNA. The more residual vitamin C and the longer time of UV radiation, the more DNA is damaged.
    Dianfeng Zhou, Hang Heng, Kang Ji, Weizhong Ke. Effects of different levels of vitamin C on UV radiation-induced DNA damage[J]. Chinese Optics Letters, 2005, 3(5): 05289
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