Oxidative stress in ageing and disease development studied by FT-IR spectroscopy.

FT-IR spectroscopy was used to investigate the effect of oxidative stress and to approach the mechanism on cancer bone demineralization, aortic valve mineralization and heterotopic ossification on disease development. The FT-IR spectra obtained from paediatric, adult bone and ex vivo irradiated adult healthy bone with a dose of 20Gy were compared with those of healthy bone. The increase of band intensity changes of vasCH2,vsCH2 in the region 3000-2850cm-1 depended on aging, the disease progression and the dose of irradiation. The bands at 3080cm-1 and 1744cm-1, which originate from olefinic terminal bond (v=CH) and ester carbonyl group (vROCO), respectively, indicate the influence of oxidative stress on lipid degradation and peroxidation, respectively. The new bands at about 1690cm-1 and 1516cm-1 denote the presence of ß-sheet conformation of the proteins due to the diseases, confirming the increasing amount of lipophilic environment and fibril formation. Comparison of the FT-IR spectra of calcified aortic valve and hip heterotopic ossification with that of normal bones showed that in the bone-like formation the peroxide anion free radicals play an important role in the disease.

An FT-IR Spectral Analysis of the Effects of γ-Radiation on Normal and Cancerous Cartilage.

In the present study we used non-distractive physicochemical methods to investigate the effect of γ-radiation on human articular cartilage. Comparison between the FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared) spectra before and after irradiation of the cartilage with different doses of radiation showed considerable changes in the spectra. It was found that for doses up to 2 Gy the collagen helices changed their structure from α-helix to random coil. By increasing the radiation dose it was found that the proteins' structure changed further to amyloid-like protein formation and to fragments of glycosaminoglycan chains, which were indicated in the IR spectra. Furthermore, comparison between the spectra of normal and irradiated cartilage, cancerous cartilage and cartilage from patients who received radiotherapy showed similarities in the spectra together with the formation of an aldehyde absorption band at 1740 cm(-1) suggesting that in all cases of cartilage examined,oxidative stress played major role in the damage progression of cartilage.