L-DOPA oxidation products prevent H2O2-induced oxidative damage to cellular DNA.

Using the single-cell gel electrophoresis ("Comet") assay, we show that tyrosinase-generated L-DOPA oxidation products prevent H2O2-induced oxidative DNA damage in cultured tissue cells. We propose that these oxidation products trigger cellular processes that up-regulate the overall antioxidant status of the cell, and could be incorporated into treatments of pathological conditions associated with elevated oxidative DNA damage and other manifestations of increased oxidative stress.