Purine 5',8-cyclo-2'-deoxynucleosides (cPu) are tandem-type lesions observed among the DNA purine modifications and identified in mammalian cellular DNA in vivo. These lesions can be present in two diasteroisomeric forms, 5'R and 5'S, for each 2'-deoxyadenosine and 2'-deoxyguanosine moiety. They are generated exclusively by hydroxyl radical attack to 2'-deoxyribose units generating C5' radicals, followed by cyclization with the C8 position of the purine base. This review describes the main recent achievements in the preparation of the cPu molecular library for analytical and DNA synthesis applications for the studies of the enzymatic recognition and repair mechanisms, their impact on transcription and genetic instability, quantitative determination of the levels of lesions in various types of cells and animal model systems, and relationships between the levels of lesions and human health, disease, and aging, as well as the defining of the detection limits and quantification protocols.
Keywords: DNA and RNA polymerases; DNA damage; LC-MS/MS; cancer; cyclopurines; free radicals; nucleotide excision repair; reactive oxygen species; xeroderma pigmentosum.