Session: Undergraduate Research Posters: Analytical Chemistry:

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in America, many times as a result of oxidative DNA damage. Two common treatments for cancer, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, can have detrimental side effects. These therapies attack both cancer cells and healthy cells as they cannot distinguish between the two, possibly causing negative long-term side effects. Selenium salts, such as sodium selenite and sodium hydrogen selenite, are chemopreventative agents because they are radical scavengers. In this study, these two selenium salts were tested to determine if they could prevent oxidative DNA damage in plasmid DNA. They are believed to reduce oxidative damage via radical scavenging techniques. This work aims to determine how much oxidative DNA damage can be prevented in the presence of each of these two selenium salts. Using 8-hydroxyguanine as a standard DNA damage marker, data showing the detection of this compound on HPLC will be presented. Additionally, plasmid DNA treated with hydrogen peroxide, both in the presence and absence of selenium salts will produce 8-hydroxyguanine. The results of these interactions will be presented.

Jessica Fautch

Appearances