# The possibility of blocking the process of DNA base pairs opening by hydrogen peroxide

## TL;DR

This study investigates how hydrogen peroxide molecules can stabilize DNA base pairs and potentially block DNA unzipping, which may influence the effectiveness of ion beam cancer therapy.

## Contribution

It introduces a computational analysis of H$_2$O$_2$ interactions with DNA bases, suggesting a novel mechanism for blocking genetic processes in cancer cells during therapy.

## Key findings

- H$_2$O$_2$ stabilizes certain DNA base pair configurations more effectively than water.
- H$_2$O$_2$ can form complexes that may prevent DNA unzipping by enzymes.
- Proposes an experimental method to verify H$_2$O$_2$ interactions with DNA.

## Abstract

One of the most progressive methods of cancer treatment is ion beam therapy. The simulations of water radiolysis show that in the cell medium the most long-living species are hydrogen peroxide (H$_2$O$_2$) molecules. But up to the present time the role of H$_2$O$_2$ molecules in the deactivation of cancer cells has not been determined yet. To understand the possible role of H$_2$O$_2$ in ion beam therapy, the competitive interaction of H$_2$O$_2$ and H$_2$O molecules with nucleic bases in a pair on the different stages of genetic information transfer is studied in the present work. Atom-atomic potential functions method is used for the calculations. It is shown, that some configurations of AT and GC complementary pairs are stabilized much better by H$_2$O$_2$ molecule compared to water molecule. Formation of such interaction complexes can terminate the processes of DNA unzipping by enzymes and consequently block genetic information transfer processes in cancer cells during ion beam therapy treatment. Experimental verification method of hydrogen peroxide interaction with nucleic base pairs is proposed.