Relationship between lipid peroxidation and rigidity in L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine-DPPC vesicles.

DPPC incorporation into egg-PC unilamellar vesicles reduces their oxidation rate beyond that expected from the unsaturated lipid dilution. Addition of the unsaturated lipids produces changes in the physical properties of the inner parts of the lipid bilayer, as sensed by fluorescence anisotropy of DPH, and in the hydrophilic/hydrophobic region, as sensed by the generalized polarization of laurdan. DPPC (30 mol%) incorporation into egg-PC vesicles produces a decrease in alkyl chain mobility in the inner part of the bilayer, evaluated by the increase of DPH fluorescence anisotropy, and a rise of the generalized polarization value of laurdan in the bilayer interface. It also leads to a decrease in the rate of water efflux promoted by a hypertonic shock. Oxidation of PC LUVs, promoted by AAPH, as sensed by oxygen uptake and MDA formation, leads to qualitatively similar results than DPPC addition: rigidification at the inner part and the surface of the liposomes, and a lower rate of water permeation. It is suggested that these changes could contribute to the observed decrease in oxidation rate with conversion.

Response of unilamellar DPPC and DPPC:SM vesicles to hypo and hyper osmotic shocks: A comparison.

DPPC and DPPC:SM large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs), prepared by extrusion, readily respond to osmotic shocks (hypo- and hyper-osmotic) by water influx/efflux (evaluated by changes in turbidity) and by entrapped calcein liberation (measured by an increase in dye fluorescence intensity). On the other hand, small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) prepared by sonication are almost osmotically insensitive. LUVs water transport, both in hypo- and hyper-osmotic conditions, takes place faster than calcein ejection towards the external solvent. Similarly, response to a hypotonic imbalance is faster than that associated to a hypertonic stress. This difference is particularly noticeable for the increase in calcein fluorescence intensity and can be related to the large reorganization of the bilayer needed to form pores and/or to adsorb the dye to the inner leaflet of the vesicle after water efflux. Conversely, addition of SM to the vesicles barely modify the rate of calcein permeation across the bilayer.

Visible chemiluminescence from rat brain homogenates undergoing autoxidation. II. Kinetics of the luminescence decay.

The visible luminescence emitted in the autoxidation of brain homogenates is only partially quenched when antioxidants are added at concentrations such that further oxidation is prevented. From the time course of the emission after antioxidant addition, it can be estimated that nearly 50% of the light arises from an intermediate that decays with a first order kinetics and with a lifetime of ca. 40 s at 32 degrees C. The remaining light arises from the decomposition of one or several intermediates, and show a kinetics that is independent of the incubation time. From the data obtained it is concluded that bimolecular free radical processes, such as the recombination of peroxy radicals, do not significantly contribute to the observed luminescence.

Is spontaneous urinary visible chemiluminescence a reflection of in vivo oxidative stress?

Based on the characteristics of the visible spontaneous luminiscence of human urine, we propose that this luminescence is due to the dark decomposition of long-lived luminescent intermediates produced by oxidations at the cellular level, and that it might reflect the development of oxidative stress conditions in vivo. This hypothesis is consistent with the higher emission levels monitored in the urine of hyperthyroid patients and the correlation observed between urinary thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels and urinary chemiluminescence.

Antioxidant capacity of diethyldithiocarbamate in a metal independent lipid peroxidative process.

2,2'-Azobis-[2-amidinopropane] initiated lipid peroxidation of egg yolk phosphatydil choline liposomes was measured by oxygen uptake and the emitted visible luminescence. Lipid peroxidation involved a chain process (kinetic chain length = 49 +/- 11) and its rate was independent of added Fe ions. Diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) behaved as an efficient inhibitor in the microM range, being able to trap 1.05 +/- 0.25 free radicals per added molecule. The efficiency of DDC was also independent of Fe addition to the system. These results indicate that DDC is able to trap the chain carrying free radicals, showing that this compound, besides being a powerful metal chelator, is also an efficient free radical scavenger. It is proposed that the relevant step in this process involves an electron transfer from DDC to the peroxy radical LOO., LOO. + DDC- ----LOO- + DDC. followed by protonation of LOO- and dimerization of the DDC. radical.

Sod and catalase inactivation by singlet oxygen and peroxyl radicals.

Both superoxide dismutase and catalase are readily deactivated by singlet oxygen and by the radicals produced in the pyrolysis of 2,2'-azo-bis-(2-amidinpropano) under aerobic conditions. The rate constant for the loss of enzymatic activity induced by singlet oxygen are 3.9 x 10(7) and 2.5 x 10(7) M-1 sec-1 for SOD and catalase, respectively. The similarity between these values implies that in systems where SOD and catalase are exposed to similar singlet oxygen concentrations, it can be expected a parallel inactivation of both enzymes. The inactivation of both enzymes by the radicals produced by 2,2'-azo-bis-(2-amidinopropane) pyrolysis under aerobic conditions follows a first-order kinetics at low enzyme concentrations and a zero-order kinetics at higher concentrations. Although at low enzymatic concentrations the rate of inactivation of both enzymes is similar, this results from a compensation of effects because there are wide differences in the reactivity of both enzymes towards peroxyalkyl radicals. Catalase is considerably more reactive, but a large number of protein/radical reactive interactions are needed to inactivate one enzyme. On the other hand, the reactivity of SOD is smaller, but the average enzyme activity decreases by nearly 20% in each SOD/radical reactive interaction.

Kinetics of phycocyanine bilin groups destruction by peroxyl radicals.

Bilin groups in c-phycocyanine are readily bleached by peroxyl radicals produced in the thermolysis of 2, 2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane). From an evaluation of the bilin groups destroyed per radical that interacts with the protein, it is concluded that the bilin moiety is the main target of the radicals. Kinetic expressions are derived that allows an estimation of the substrate reactivity from the analysis of the rate of bilin group modification as a function of the protein concentration. From this analysis it is concluded that micromolar concentrations of c-phycocyanine are able to reduce the steady state concentration of the peroxyl radicals by one half, indicating a high antioxidant activity for this compound. This conclusion is confirmed by measuring the capacity of the protein to protect 1-naphthol from modification by peroxyl radicals. The results obtained show that the bilin groups have, on a molar basis, an antioxidant activity similar to that of potent antioxidants such as catechin.

Enhanced urinary spontaneous luminescence in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Urinary spontaneous visible luminescence is enhanced in children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). This result is indicative of systemic oxidative stress in DMD patients. It is proposed that measurement of the urinary luminescence could be employed to follow the progress of the disease, as well as the response of the patients to antioxidant therapy.

Antioxidant properties of the alkaloid boldine in systems undergoing lipid peroxidation and enzyme inactivation.

Boldine, in low micromolar concentrations, was able to prevent brain homogenate autooxidation, the 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane)(AAP)-induced lipid peroxidation of red cell plasma membranes, and the AAP-induced inactivation of lysozyme. These results are indicative of a high reactivity of boldine towards free radicals. The analysis of the boldine effect as a function of incubation times suggests that a metabolite resulting from the interaction of boldine with free radicals also exhibits antioxidant activity, being more efficient than boldine in brain homogenate auto-oxidation and less efficient in lysozyme protection experiments. This behavior may be accounted for in terms of the relative location of the scavengers needed to afford maximal protection.

Inactivation of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase by alkylperoxyl radicals. Characteristics and influence of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotides.

The study of the interaction of alkylperoxyl radicals generated by the aerobic thermolysis of 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) (AAP) with yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (YADH) revealed a high reactivity of the enzyme, with an average of about 20 radicals per added YADH tetramer being needed to elicit its total inactivation. NAD+ enhanced YADH inactivation at NAD+/YADH molar ratios from 0.25 to 1, decreasing the rate of the process when added in excess to the enzyme concentration. At NADH/YADH molar ratios greater than 1, NADH exhibited a protective effect characterized by a poorly defined induction time and lower inactivation rates, which progressively increased during the reaction period. These changes occurred concomitantly with the oxidation of NADH into NAD+, which might counteract the protective effect of NADH. Under similar conditions, NADP+ did not modify AAP-induced YADH inactivation, while NADPH exhibited a modest protection at NADPH/YADH molar ratios greater than 1. It is concluded that YADH inactivation by alkylperoxyl radicals is strongly dependent on the redox state of the NADH-NAD+ couple, as the rates of the process at different time intervals inversely correlate with the respective NADH/NAD+ ratios.

Kinetics and mechanism of the reaction of a nitroxide radical (tempol) with a phenolic antioxidant.

In the absence of redox-active transition metal ions, the removal of Tempol by Trolox occurs by a simple bimolecular reaction that, most probably, involves a hydrogen transfer from phenol to nitroxide. The specific rate constant of the process is small (0.1 M(-1) s(-1)). Metals can catalyze the process, as evidenced by the decrease in rate observed in the presence of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA). Furthermore, addition of Fe(II) (20 microM ferrous sulfate and 40 microM EDTA) produces a noticeable increase in the rate of Tempol consumption.

Total antioxidant potential of resinous exudates from Heliotropium species, and a comparison of the ABTS and DPPH methods.

Total reactive antioxidant potential (TRAP) of resinous exudates from Heliotropium species was evaluated by measuring the bleaching of stable free radicals. The antioxidant capacity of the resinous exudates in Trolox equivalents, evaluated from the bleaching of ABTS derived radical cations, ranged from 2.0 M (H. huascoense) to 5.2 M (H. stenophyllum), indicating a very high concentration of phenolic compounds. Considerably smaller values were obtained by measuring the bleaching of DPPH radicals. The ratio between the values obtained employing ABTS derived radicals and DPPH, ranged from 37 (H. megalanthum) to 4.5 (H. chenopodiaceum variety typica). The magnitude of the difference can be considered as an indication of the relative reactivity of the antioxidants present in the exudates. Similar ratios were observed when stoichiometric coefficients were evaluated for representative purified flavonoids obtained from the resinous exudates.

Varicocele-associated decrease in antioxidant defenses.

Varicocele is associated with an oxidative stress condition. We have measured the antioxidant defenses of varicocele patients both at the local (seminal plasma) and systemic (blood plasma) levels. The antioxidant defenses, as evaluated by the total reactive antioxidant potential parameter, decrease both in the seminal (controls 676+/-128; patients = 386+/-186) and blood (controls = 519+/-63; patients = 268+/-110) plasma of varicocele patients. Compared with controls, patients with both normal spermiograms and spermiograms altered in motility or morphology demonstrated lower values. The results obtained suggest that varicocele-associated oxidative stress is evidenced both at the local and systemic levels. This conclusion is supported by results showing that urinary spontaneous chemiluminescence is also significantly increased in the patients.

The role of ionic strength on the enhancement of the hemolytic activity of sticholysin I, a cytolysin from Stichodactyla helianthus.

Sticholysin I (St I) is a potent cytolytic polypeptide purified from the Caribbean sea anemone Stichodactyla helianthus. The hemolytic activity of sticholysin is potentiated by its preincubation at high ionic strengths. In the present work the mechanism of the potentiating action of the medium ionic strength on the toxin hemolytic capacity is investigated. It is suggested that preincubation with high saline concentration induces a transition of St I to a more relaxed conformation that facilitates the lytic process.

Modification of sticholysin II hemolytic activity by free radicals.

Sticholysin II is a highly hemolytic toxin present in the caribbean sea anemone Stichodactyla helianthus. Pre-incubation of St II with 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane), a source of peroxyl radicals in air saturated solution, readily reduces its hemolytic activity. Analysis of the amino acids present in the protein after its modification shows that only tryptophan groups are significantly modified by the free radicals. According to this, the loss of hemolytic activity correlates with the loss of the protein intrinsic fluorescence. The results indicate that, at high toxin concentrations, nearly a tryptophan residue and 0.2 toxin molecules are inactivated by each radical introduced into the system. Association of St II to multilamellar liposomes (egg yolk phosphatidyl choline:sphingomyelin 1:1) increases the toxin intrinsic fluorescence, indicating a more hydrophobic average environment of the five tryptophan groups of the protein. In agreement with this, incorporation of St II to the liposomes reduces the rate of fluorescence loss during its modification by free radicals, particularly at long incubation times. These results are explained in terms of two populations of tryptophans that are quenched at different rates by acrylamide and whose rates of inactivation by free radicals are also different.

Comparison of pore-forming ability in membranes of a native and a recombinant variant of Sticholysin II from Stichodactyla helianthus.

Sticholysin II (St II) a potent cytolysin from the sea anemone Stichodactyla helianthus was obtained by recombinant procedures exhibiting six histidine residues in its N-terminus (St IIn6H). The functional comparison between St II and St IIn6H showed a lesser pore-forming ability for the recombinant than for the native in human or rat red blood cells (RBC) and in large unilamellar vesicles (LUV) of different phospholipid composition. However, binding of St IIn6H to small unilamellar vesicles (SUV) was higher with regard to St II. The explanation to the different permeabilizing capacity of both protein variants is not clear, but a different anchoring of St IIn6H to the lipid bilayer could delay the organization of the competent pore into membrane.

Visible chemiluminescence associated with the reaction between methemoglobin or oxyhemoglobin with hydrogen peroxide.

Visible chemiluminescence is emitted in the irreversible deactivation of hemoglobin or methemoglobin with excess H2O2. The emission takes place in two phases. The most intense one lasts a few seconds and is followed by a second phase of lower intensity that remains for longer periods. This second phase presents chaotic or sustained oscillations. Free radicals are implicated in the luminescent process since the emission can be reduced by free radical scavengers such as 6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid (Trolox) or ascorbic acid. These additives lead to a delay in reaching the maximum intensity, which can be related to their consumption, implying substantial recycling of the hemoprotein. Chemiluminescence is also observed in the oxidation of hemin by H2O2, suggesting a role for the heme group in the processes leading to the excited state production. The lower intensity observed in the presence of hemin can be related to the contribution of the globin chains.

Photointeraction of benzophenone triplet with lysozyme.

The quenching of the benzophenone triplet by lysozyme and its constituent amino acids in aqueous solutions have been studied. Native lysozyme quenches the benzophenone triplet with a high rate constant, 4 x 10(9) M-1 s-1. The quenching process takes place with production of significant amounts of free ketyl radicals, phi ketyl = 0.56, but with a very low benzophenone consumption yield (0.022). The consumption yield is considerably smaller than that observed for the free amino acids. This difference can be explained in terms of a dominant back hydrogen transfer to the protein in the disproportionation of the free radicals produced. Reduced and carboxymethylated lysozyme shows a higher quenching rate (7.8 x 10(9) M-1 s-1) and a larger benzophenone consumption yield (0.07). The deactivation of the benzophenone triplet by the native protein leads to its inactivation, with a quantum yield of 0.01. Tryptophan and arginine residues are destroyed with a quantum yield of 0.01. In the modified enzyme tyrosine and methionine groups are also consumed.

Surface changes induced by osmotic shrinkage on large unilamellar vesicles.

Osmotic shrinkage changes the surface properties of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine large unilamellar vesicles depending on the phase state of the bilayer. In the gel state, shrinkage produces an increase in the adsorption of hydrophobic dyes, such as Merocyanine 540 (MC540) monomers, toluidine and anilinonaphthalene sulfonic acid (TNS, ANS). In the fluid state, shrinkage does not affect the bilayer surface when gradients between the inner and the outer compartments below 0.2-0.25 M NaCl (higher concentration outside) are applied. Larger differences in concentrations produce an increase in packing as inferred from the desorption of the MC monomers. Kinetic experiments show that the surface changes correlate with the volume decrease produced by the water extrusion from the vesicle interior. It is interpreted that the decrease of water content compels the vesicles to a state in which defects at the membrane surface are likely to occur when the bilayer is in the gel state.

Kinetics of lipid peroxidation in compartmentalized systems initiated by a water-soluble free radical source.

Kinetic rate laws arising from theoretical expectations for the oxidation of lipids initiated by water-soluble free radicals in compartmentalized systems under different experimental conditions are deduced. In particular, the predictions for the kinetic reaction orders in: (a) intra-particle oxidizable compound concentration (at fixed number of particles and particle size), alpha; (b) number of particles or analytical lipid concentration (at fixed intra-particle concentration and particle size), beta and (c) initiator, gamma, are obtained. The reaction orders beta and gamma are determined by the fraction of initiator derived radicals captured by the particles (f) and the mean number of chain carrying radicals per particle () when the system reaches the steady state condition. Predicted orders in initiator range from 0 ( = 0.5) to 0.5 (f-->1; > > 1), while the order in number of particles ranges between 0.5 (f-->1; > > 1) and 1. These predictions are tested by measuring the kinetic law for the oxidation of SUV's egg yolk phosphatidylcholine vesicles initiated by the thermal decomposition of ABAP. The results indicate that, under the conditions employed, beta = 0.68 +/- 0.05 and gamma = 0.46 +/- 0.04. These values are close to those expected for a system in which > > 1 and the efficiency of capture is relatively high. This last condition is confirmed by estimating the efficiency of capture from a comparison of induction times elicited by similar concentrations of Trolox and alpha-tocopherol.