# TETRACYCLINE CUTANEOUS PHOTOTOXICITY

> **NIH NIH R01** · PURDUE UNIVERSITY · 1988 · $55,065

## Abstract

The broad goal of this research is to gain a better understanding
of the molecular basis for the dermatological phototoxicity of the
tetracycline family of drugs.  These drugs, among the most widely
prescribed family of antibiotics, represent a virtually classic
example of such phototoxicity.  The objectives of the program
include the complete delineation of (a) tetracycline's unimolecular
photochemistry and (b) the covalent binding of tetracycline
photoproducts to nucleic acids.  Specifically, the program will (1)
complete the identification of "lumitetracycline", a new
photoproduct isolated in these laboratories which gives evidence
for possible greater phototoxicity than tetracycline itself, (2)
determine the mechanistic details of tetracycline's
photochemistry, (3) identify the photoproducts formed from
tetracycline which covalently bind to DNA in the dark, (4)
determine the bases which are the targets for such binding and
the chemical reactions involved and (5) extend our studies to the
photochemistry and photobiology of lumitetracycline in order to
establish the origin of this molecule's recently determined
mitochondrial phototoxicity.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3159289
- **Project number:** 1R01AR039286-01
- **Recipient organization:** PURDUE UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** YRXVL4JYCEF5
- **Principal Investigator:** HARRY A MORRISON
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $55,065
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 1988-05-01 → 1993-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3159289

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3159289, TETRACYCLINE CUTANEOUS PHOTOTOXICITY (1R01AR039286-01). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3159289. Licensed CC0.

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