REVIEW: Electroanalysis in Pharmacogenomic Studies: Mechanisms of Drug Interaction with DNA

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Victoria V. Shumyantseva^1,2,a*, Veronica V. Pronina¹, Tatiana V. Bulko¹, and Lyubov E. Agafonova¹

¹Orekhovich Research Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Laboratory of Bioelectrochemistry, 119121 Moscow, Russia

²Department of Biochemistry, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia

Received August 15, 2023; Revised October 3, 2023; Accepted October 11, 2023

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The review discusses electrochemical methods for analysis of drug interactions with DNA. The electroanalysis method is based on the registration of interaction-induced changes in the electrochemical oxidation potential of heterocyclic nitrogenous bases in the DNA molecule and in the maximum oxidation current amplitude. The mechanisms of DNA–drug interactions can be identified based on the shift in the electrooxidation potential of heterocyclic nitrogenous bases toward more negative (cathodic) or positive (anodic) values. Drug intercalation into DNA shifts the electrochemical oxidation potential to positive values, indicating thermodynamically unfavorable process that hinders oxidation of nitrogenous bases in DNA. The potential shift toward the negative values indicates electrostatic interactions, e.g., drug binding in the DNA minor groove, since this process does not interfere with the electrochemical oxidation of bases. The concentration-dependent decrease in the intensity of electrochemical oxidation of DNA bases allows to quantify the type of interaction and calculate the binding constants.

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KEY WORDS: DNA, pharmacogenomics, drug–DNA interaction, electrochemistry, binding constant, electroanalysis

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297924140128

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