Electrochemical biosensor for investigation of anticancer drugs interactions (doxorubicin and ellipticine) with DNA

The mechanisms of action of chemotherapeutics are different, but very often interfere with processes of cell division and can bind onto DNA. The aim of this work was to investigate interactions of antitumour drugs (ellipticine and doxorubicin) with DNA. For these purposes our experiments the screen-printed nanotube carbon electrodes were used. DNA gives oxidation signals for all bases (adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine). We introduced various ellipticine, doxorubicin and ethidium bromide concentrations to DNA on carbon electrodes fabricated by us and measured the changes in the height of nucleic acid bases signals. In the voltammograms measured the changes associated with the interactions of the target compounds with DNA were evident. The height of DNA signals decreased with increasing ellipticine, doxorubicin and ethidium bromide concentrations. The decrease can be related to changes of DNA structure caused by the intercalation.