Experimental and theoretical studies on ferromagnetically coupled metal complexes with imino nitroxides.

Copper(II), zinc(II), and nickel(II) complexes with tridentate imino nitroxyl diradicals, [CuCl(bisimpy)(MeOH)](PF(6)) (1), [ZnCl(2)(bisimpy)] (2), and [NiCl(bisimpy)(H(2)O)(2)]Cl x 2H(2)O (3) (bisimpy = 2,6-bis(1'-oxyl-4',4',5',5'-tetramethyl-4',5'-dihydro-1'H-imidazol-2'-yl)pyridine), were prepared, and their magnetic properties were studied. In 1, the Cu(II) ion has a square pyramidal coordination geometry, of which the equatorial coordination sites are occupied by three nitrogen atoms from the bisimpy and a chloride ion. The coordination geometry of the Zn(II) ion in 2 can be described as a trigonal bipyramid, with two chloride ions and a bisimpy. In 3, the Ni(II) ion has a distorted octahedral coordination geometry, of which four coordination sites are coordinated by the bisimpy and chloride ion, and two water molecules occupy the remaining cis positions. Magnetic susceptibility and EPR measurements revealed that in 1 and 3 the Cu(II) and Ni(II) ions with imino nitroxyl diradicals were ferromagnetically coupled, with the coupling constants J (H = -2J(ij) summation operator S(i)S(j)) of +165(1) and 109(2) cm(-1), respectively, and the intraligand ferromagnetic interactions in 1-3 were very weak. DFT molecular orbital calculations were performed on the diradical ligand, 1, and 2 to study the spin density distribution before and after coordination to the metal ions.

Effects of quartz addition on the mechanochemical dechlorination of chlorobiphenyl by using CaO.

Grinding a mixture of 3-chlorobiphenyl (BP-Cl) and CaO with or without the addition of quartz was conducted in air by a planetary ball mill to investigate the mechanochemical dechlorination of BP-Cl. The dechlorinating reaction proceeds with an increase in grinding time, and over 99% of BP-Cl is decomposed at 360 min. Washing the ground sample with different solvents results in different products. Addition of quartz to the grinding mixture facilitates dechlorination efficiency, especially in the case of a high weight ratio of BP-Cl to CaO.

Characteristics of chemiluminescence observed in the horseradish peroxidase-hydrogen peroxide-tyrosine system.

Electrolysis or horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-catalyzed oxidation of tyrosine and bityrosine in aqueous solution at pH 7.4 resulted in light emission in the visible region. Electrolysis of tyrosine emitted light which peaked at 490 nm and was almost completely quenched by superoxide dismutase (SOD), while emission by bityrosine peaked at 530 nm. In the HRP-H(2)O(2)-tyrosine system the oxidation-reduction of tyrosine emitted light with two prominent peaks, 490 and 530 nm, and was not quenched by SOD. The phenoxyl neutral radical of the tyrosine in HRP-H(2)O(2)-tyrosine system was detected by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry using tert-nitrosobutane as a spin trap; the spin adduct was found to adhere to the HRP molecule during the enzymatic reaction. Further, bityrosine was detected in the HRP-H(2)O(2)-tyrosine reaction system. Changes in absorption spectra of HRP and chemiluminescence intensities during HRP-catalyzed oxidation of tyrosine suggest that for photon emission compound III is a candidate superoxide donor to the phenoxyl cation radical of tyrosine on the enzyme molecule. The luminescence observed in this study might be originated from at least two exciplexes involved with the tyrosine cation radical (Tyr(*+)) and the bityrosine cation radical (BT(*+))

EPR and TREPR spectroscopic studies of antioxidant sesamolyl and related phenoxyl radicals.

Sesamolyl and related phenoxyl radicals were studied by conventional and time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic techniques. Continuous UV irradiation of sesamol in benzene produces two types of radicals. Based on the hyperfine coupling values obtained we determined that one is the neutral sesamolyl radical and the others are the dimer radicals. Comparison was made with related compounds, especially 3,4-dimethoxyphenol. We found that the 3,4-dimethoxyphenoxyl radical had a shorter lifetime than the neutral sesamolyl radical. The EPR results obtained suggest that a near perpendicular orientation of the oxygen p-orbitals with respect to the benzene ring of sesamol makes the radical more stable. This stability may be important for the antioxidant properties.

Generation of superoxide during the enzymatic action of tyrosinase.

Evidence for the generation of superoxide anion in an enzymatic action of tyrosinase is reported. In the dopatyrosinase reaction, 1 mol of O2 is required for the production of 2 mol of dopaquinone, 1 mol of dopachrome, and 1/4 mol of O2-. Superoxide dismutase and 2-methyl-6-phenyl-3,7-dihydroimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-one (a chemiluminescence probe and O2 trap) do not inhibit the rate of dopachrome formation from dopa in the presence of tyrosinase, indicating that free O2- is not utilized for metabolizing dopa. ESR studies for the accumulation of semiquinone radicals generated from tyrosine and N-acetyltyrosine in the presence of tyrosinase imply that O2- is not generated by the semiquinone + O2 reaction. Since the addition of H2O2 and dopa to tyrosinase promotes the release of O2- and formation of dopachrome, the Cu(II)O2-Cu(I) complex could be formed as a intermediate (an active form of tyrosinase); [Cu(II)]2 + H2O2 in equilibrium Cu(I)O2-Cu(II) + 2H+.

Mechanism of O2- generation in reduction and oxidation cycle of ubiquinones in a model of mitochondrial electron transport systems.

O2- generation in mitochondrial electron transport systems, especially the NADPH-coenzyme Q10 oxidoreductase system, was examined using a model system, NADPH-coenzyme Q1-NADPH-dependent cytochrome P-450 reductase. One electron reduction of coenzyme Q1 produces coenzyme Q1-. and O2- during enzyme-catalyzed reduction and O2+ coenzyme Q1-. are in equilibrium with O2- + coenzyme Q1 in the presence of enough O2. The coenzyme Q1-. produced can be completely eliminated by superoxide dismutase, identical to bound coenzyme Q10 radical produced in a succinate/fumarate couple-KCN-submitochondrial system in the presence of O2. Superoxide dismutase promotes electron transfer from reduced enzyme to coenzyme Q1 by the rapid dismutation of O2- generated, thereby preventing the reduction of coenzyme Q1 by O2-. The enzymatic reduction of coenzyme Q1 to coenzyme Q1H2 via coenzyme Q1-. is smoothly achieved under anaerobic conditions. The rate of coenzyme Q1H2 autoxidation is extremely slow, i.e., second-order constant for [O2][coenzyme Q1H2] = 1.5 M-1.s-1 at 258 microM O2, pH 7.5 and 25 degrees C.

Properties of a coenzyme, pyrroloquinoline quinone: generation of an active oxygen species during a reduction-oxidation cycle in the presence of NAD(P)H and O2.

The oxidation of NAD(P)H by pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) was non-enzymatically carried out at physiological pH in the presence of O2. The PQQ-NAD(P)H system requires about 1 mol of O2 for the oxidation of 1 mol of NAD(P)H. The oxidation of NAD(P)H occurred at a pseudo-first-order rate with respect to NAD(P)H and was of zero order with respect to PQQ concentration in in the presence of O2: k0[PQQ] [NAD(P)H] = k1 [NAD(P)H], where k0[PQQ] = k1, in which [PQQ] represents the initial concentration of PQQ. k0 values for NADH and NADPH were 3.4.10(2) M-1.min-1 and 2.0.10(2) M-1.min-1, respectively, at 25 degrees C and at 258 microM O2 (initial concentration). The system produced O-2, probably by the interaction of PQQ.H and/or NAD(P).with O2, during the oxidation of NAD(P)H. PQQH2 and PQQ.H were easily oxidized to PQQ in the presence of O2, yielding H2O2.

EPR studies of copper(II) and cobalt(II) complexes of adriamycin.

Cu2+ and Co2+ complexes of adriamycin (ADM) in aqueous solutions have been examined using EPR spectroscopy. An appreciable amount of Cu2+ and Co2+ complexes formed in the solutions were found to be in the EPR silent associated form, where the metal ions are antiferromagnetically coupled. The associated form of the Cu2+ complex may be neither a simple dimer nor coordination polymer but aggregates of a stacked type. Formation of a complex having Cu2+-ADM stoichiometry of 1:2 was observed for the solutions containing excess of ADM as an EPR observable species. The complex having Cu2+-ADM stoichiometry of 1:1 was not observed directly by EPR, but the presence of the complex is undeniable, especially at low pH range so far as large excessive ADM is not present. The Co2+ complex of ADM observed by EPR is in the high-spin (S = 3/2) state and may have a coordination structure of tetragonal symmetry. The EPR spectra of these complexes apparently show that the Cu2+ and Co2+ ions are bound at the carbonyl and phenolate oxygen in the 1,4-dihydroxyanthraquinone moiety and the amino nitrogen in the sugar part does not seem to participate in the coordination to the metal ions.

ESR studies on the active intermediate in the enzymatic reduction of the Fe-bleomycin complex.

The spin trapping method was applied to elucidate the active intermediate during the enzymatic reduction of Fe(III)-bleomycin in the presence of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and O2. Although the hydroxyl adducts to spin traps were observed, the adduct formation was not inhibited by catalase nor by SOD. Furthermore, in Tris-HCl buffer, no Tris adduct to the spin trap was observed. The results lead to the conclusion that there is no participation of free OH radical in the reactive intermediate in this reduction system. Effect of phosphate buffer on the reactivity of Fe(II)-bleomycin and spin state of Fe(III)-bleomycin were discussed.

DNA strand scission by enzymatically reduced mitomycin C: evidence for participation of the hydroxyl radical in the DNA damage.

Phage DNA, as well as plasmid and mammalian DNA's, were exposed to a superoxide and hydroxyl radical-generating system containing NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and mitomycin C, both with and without added Fe3+-ADP, in phosphate buffer at pH 7.5. The generation of superoxide (O2-.) and hydroxyl (.OH) radicals in the system was demonstrated by using ESR spectrometry with N-tert -butyl-alpha-phenylnitrone (PBN) as a spin trapping agent. Only the lambda DNA isolated after exposure to the O2-./.OH-generating system containing many lower molecular weight DNA fragments indicating DNA strand breaks. This breakage was completely inhibited by a .OH radical scavenger (sodium benzoate) and by catalase, but only slightly by superoxide dismutase. Thyroid and plasmid DNA's were both cleaved when exposed to the O2-./.OH-generating systems. It is suggested that the mechanism of DNA scission by mitomycin C described here closely resembles that induced by the anthracycline drugs.

Importance of Fe2+-ADP and the relative unimportance of OH in the mechanism of mitomycin C-induced lipid peroxidation.

The mechanism of mitomycin C-induced lipid peroxidation has been studied at pH 7.5, using systems containing phospholipid membranes (liposomes) and an Fe3+-ADP complex with purified NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase. Both O2- and H2O2 are generated during the aerobic enzyme-catalyzed reaction in the presence of mitomycin C. Hydroxyl radical is formed in the reaction by the reduction of H2O2. This is catalyzed by the Fe2+-ADP complex in a phosphate buffer or to a lesser extent when in a Tris-HCl buffer. The reduction of Fe3+-ADP to Fe2+-ADP is mainly achieved by O2-. The resulting Fe2+-ADP in the presence of O2 forms a perferryl ion complex which is a powerful stimulator of lipid peroxidation. However, the formation of such an iron-oxygen complex is strongly inhibited by phosphate ions, which do not interfere with the generation of OH radicals. These findings suggest that, since lipid peroxidation occurs in a Tris-HCl buffer (but not in a phosphate buffer), the OH radical is unlikely to be involved in the observed lipid peroxidation process.

Significance of the equilibrium constant between serum ascorbate radical and ascorbic acids in man.

The spin concentration of ascorbate radical in human serum was examined and the existence of the stable equilibrium between the spin concentration of serum ascorbate radical and concentrations of ascorbic acids in healthy subjects was found. The value of the equilibrium constant was independent of age and sex. The administration of ascorbic acid caused the convergence of these values which were scattered within certain ranges in healthy volunteers. The values of the equilibrium constant increased in many patients with various diseases and returned to normal level with improvement of symptoms. These indicate that the equilibrium constant can be used as a clinical index to reflect metabolic state involving ascorbic acid as the radical scavenger.

Clear evidence for the participation of OH in lambda DNA breakage induced by the enzymatic reduction of adriamycin in the presence of iron-ADP. Importance of local OH concentration for DNA strand cleavage.

lambda DNA (a double-stranded DNA) was exposed to several adriamycin-mediated active oxygen generating systems (O2- and H2O2 generating, OH generating, and perferryl ion complex generating), extracted, and analyzed by gel electrophoresis on agarose gel. Only the DNA exposed to and subsequently isolated from the adriamycin-mediated OH generating system contained many DNA fragments of low molecular weight, indicating the breakage of DNA strands. Such a breakage was strikingly inhibited by catalase or 50 mM sodium benzoate, but not by superoxide dismutase. The local OH concentration near the DNA strand was considered to be important for DNA strand cleavage.

Generation of hydroxyl radicals during the enzymatic reductions of the Fe3+-ADP-phosphate-adriamycin and Fe3+-ADP-EDTA systems. Less involvement of hydroxyl radical and a great importance of proposed perferryl ion complexes in lipid peroxidation.

A system which contains NADPH, purified cytochrome P-450 reductase (enzyme) and Fe3+-ADP-adriamycin complex in Tris-HCl buffer does not produce hydroxyl radical, but possesses a strong lipid peroxidation activity on exogenously added phospholipid micelles. Fe3+-ADP-adriamycin complex, a tightly coordinated complex in Tris-HCl buffer, could be dissociated to Fe3+-ADP-phosphate complex and adriamycin in phosphate buffer. Hydroxyl radical, which can be detected by a spin trapping method using N-tert-butyl-alpha-phenylnitrone, is produced during the enzymatic reduction of a mixture of Fe3+-ADP-phosphate complex and adriamycin or of Fe3+-ADP-EDTA complex while it is not involved in phospholipid peroxidation under the conditions used. With hydroxyl radical-generating systems, little or no quenching of hydroxyl radical in Tris-HCl buffer could be demonstrated. The oxidative cleavage of phospholipid is initiated by the proposed perferryl ion complex, which may be generated by the interaction of Fe2+-ADP-adriamycin complex with O2. A similar perferryl ion complex is also produced during the enzymatic reduction of Fe3+-ADP-EDTA complex with a molar ratio of 2 for [Fe3+]/[EDTA] in the presence of air. This is also able to catalyze lipid peroxidation.

Influences of sex and age on serum ascorbic acid.

The concentrations of total ascorbic acid, reduced and oxidized forms of ascorbic acid, the ESR intensity of ascorbate radical, and the ratio of oxidized form of ascorbic acid to total ascorbic acid (DAsA/AsA) were estimated on 217 healthy controls, whose ages ranged from 12 to 96 years, in order to examine influences of sex and age. The concentration of total ascorbic acid was higher in females than in males throughout all age classes, but the oxidized form did not show a sex difference. Then it was found that the reduced form was higher in females than in males throughout all age classes. The concentrations of total ascorbic acid and reduced and oxidized forms of ascorbic acid, and the ESR intensity declined with age, but the DAsA/AsA ratio increased with age.

Ascorbate radical and ascorbic acid level in human serum and age.

Free radical in human serum was observed by an electron spin resonance (ESR) technique and was assigned to ascorbate radical. Quantitative estimation revealed that the ESR intensity could be used as an expedient mean. The ESR intensity of ascorbate radical, the concentrations of total ascorbic acid and oxidized form of ascorbic acid were determined on sera of 200 healthy individuals whose ages ranged from 12 to 96 years. The ESR intensity as well as the concentrations of total and oxidized form of ascorbic acid declined with age. There were significant correlations between the ESR intensity and the concentrations of total and oxidized form of ascorbic acid. From these results, the clinical significance of the concentrations of total ascorbic acid, ascorbate radical and the oxidized form was discussed in relation to age.

Nature of serum ascorbate radical and its quantitative estimation.

A doublet signal was observed in human serum by the ESR technique at room temperature. This radical had a g value of 2.0054 and a hyperfine splitting constant of 1.84 gauss and was assigned to ascorbate radical. The ascorbate radical in serum was very stable. The intensity of ESR signal showed no differences between serum and plasma of the same individual. Photosensitivity of the ascorbate radical in serum and sodium ascorbate solution was examined and enhancement of ESR signal by irradiation was observed, although the responses in serum and in ascorbate solution were considerably different. The intensity of ESR signal was proportional to the concentration of ascorbate solution. The ESR intensity of ascorbate radical can be used as a reliable method for quantitative estimation of ascorbate radical.