Solvent influence on model oxidations of alpha-tocopherol.

(+/-)-alpha-Tocopherol has been oxidised with t-butyl hydroperoxide in chloroform in order to simulate in vivo oxidations due to lipid hydroperoxides. t-Butyl hydroperoxide proved to be a weak oxidant and failed to oxidise alpha-tocopherol in 3 h at 60 degrees C. Inclusion of a small amount of ethanol in the reaction mixture brought about immediate oxidation and the formation of a new product, 5-ethoxymethyl-7,8-dimethyltocol in addition to the spiro dimer and spiro trimer of alpha-tocopherol, alpha-tocopherylquinone and 5-formyl-7,8-dimethyltocol. Formation of 5-ethoxymethyl-7,8-dimethyltocol increased with increasing concentrations of ethanol, up to a maximum of 59% at 20% ethanol. Further increase in ethanol concentration brought about a decrease in the oxidation of alpha-tocopherol and in the formation of 5-ethoxymethyl-7,8-dimethyltocol. Oxidation of the tocopherol model compound 2,2,5,7,8-pentamethyl-6-hydroxychroman under similar conditions produced the analogous product, 5-ethoxymethyl-2,2,7,8-tetramethyl-6-hydroxychroman together with 5-formyl-2,2,7,8-tetramethyl-6-hydroxychroman and 2-(3'-hydroxy-3'-methylbutyl)-3,5,6-trimethylbenzo-1,4-quinone.

Is alpha-tocopherol a reservoir for alpha-tocopheryl hydroquinone?

The products of oxidation of the alpha-tocopherol model compound, 2,2,5,7,8-pentamethyl-6-chromanol (PH) by t-butyl hydroperoxide in chloroform varied with the amount of water present. In the presence of a trace of water, the main products were the spirodimer (PSD) and spirotrimer (PST). As the content of water increased, the main product became 2-(3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyl)-3,5,6-trimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone (PQ). Oxidation of PH in aqueous liposome suspension also produced PQ as the major product. These results suggested that, in aqueous solutions, the major oxidation product of PH would be PQ and of alpha-tocopherol (TH) would be alpha-tocopheryl quinone (TQ). The ease of reduction of PQ and TQ was studied in chemical and biological systems. PQ, TQ, and ubiquinone-10 (UQ) were rapidly reduced to their respective hydroquinones (PQH2, TQH2, and UQH2) at pH 7.3 by NADH plus FAD. Whole blood reduced PQ rapidly at 37 degrees C to PQH2 but did not reduce TQ to TQH2. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells took up TQ from a bovine serum albumin complex and reduced it to TQH2. Ingestion of TQ (350 mg) by one of us (PSK) resulted in the formation of TQH2 during a 5 h period. These results demonstrate that several biological systems are able to reduce TQ to TQH2 and that it is a reaction that may occur normally in vivo.

The oestrogenicity of equol in sheep.

The effects of intramuscular injection of synthetic racemic equol (+/- 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-7-ol) into wethers have been examined with respect to maintenance of plasma level, teat growth rate and the activity of the respiratory enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. At a dose rate of 1.03 mmol/day a steady rise in 'total' (free plus conjugated) equol in plasma occurred to 1.78 mumol/l in 4 days. A dose rate of 2.07 mmol/day produced only a further slight increase in plasma equol. At a lower dose rate of 0.52 mmol/day the plasma concentration reached 0.62 mumol/l in 2 days and this was not exceeded thereafter. At the dose rate of 1.03 mmol/day over 7 days significant increases in teat length and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity occurred but no significant changes were observed at the dose rate of 0.52 mmol/day. It appears that threshold levels of intake of equol which maintain a plasma level of about 1.65 mumol/l are needed for oestrogenic effects to become apparent within a relatively short time. Administration of 1.03 mmol/day over 5 days to ovariectomized ewes produced significant increases in uterine weight equivalent to those produced by 92 nmol stilboestrol dipropionate. Thus stilboestrol was apparently 56 000 times more potent than racemic equol.

Antioxidant activity of 5-alkoxymethyl-6-chromanols.

The 5-alkoxymethyl-2,2,7,8-tetramethyl-6-chromanols (II) are excellent antioxidants against autoxidising safflower oil (ASO), although not as good as 2,2,5,7,8-pentamethyl-6-chromanol (I), the model compound of alpha-tocopherol. The aim of this work was to determine whether the rate of reaction of (II) with the radicals diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPP*) and galvinoxyl (ArO*) was directly proportional to their antioxidant activity against ASO. Compounds (II) reacted faster with DPP* than with ArO* but, in each case, slower than compound (I). The rates of reaction of I and II with both radicals followed the order I > II (R = H) > II (R = CH3) > II (R = other alkyls) and were directly proportional to their antioxidant activity against ASO.

Co-oxidation of 2,2,5,7,8-pentamethyl-6-chromanol and diphenyl disulfide with 3-chloroperoxybenzoic acid.

The aim of this study was to determine whether disulfides could serve as protective antioxidants for alpha-tocopherol or vice versa. The chosen reaction system was a co-oxidation of the model compound of alpha-tocopherol, 2,2,5,7,8-pentamethyl-6-chromanol (PMC), and diphenyl disulfide (1) by 3-chloroperoxybenzoic acid. The rate of oxidation of the disulfide was approximately twice as fast as that of PMC when each compound was oxidised separately. However, when they were co-oxidised, the rate of loss of PMC increased while that of the disulfide decreased. The reason appeared to be that the disulfide was preferentially oxidised to the thiosulfinate (2) and the thiosulfonate (3) which then reacted with unchanged PMC to form compound (4), the major product, and benzenethiol. Benzenethiol was then re-oxidised to the disulfide.

Effect of alcohols on the oxidation of the vitamin E model compound, 2,2,5,7,8-pentamethyl-6-chromanol.

The vitamin E model compound, 2,2,5,7,8-pentamethyl-6-chromanol, has been oxidized with t-butyl hydroperoxide in chloroform in order to simulate in vivo oxidations due to lipid hydroperoxides. In the presence of a variety of alcohols, ranging from methanol to cholesterol, the corresponding 5-alkoxymethyl-2,2,7,8-tetramethyl-6-chromanols were formed in fair to good yield and were the major products in each reaction.

Oxidation of the α-tocopherol model compound 2,2,5,7,8-pentamethyl-6-chromanol in the presence of alcohols.

Oxidation of the vitamin E model compound, 2,2,5,7,8-pentamethyl-6-chromanol (1b) byt-butyl hydroperoxide in chloroform has been studied in the presence of ethanol, heptanol and cholesterol. In the absence of an alcohol, the major products were the spirodimer (13b) and spirotrimer (14b) of 1b, together with 1H,2,3-dihydro-3,3,5,6,9,10,11a(R)-heptamethyl-7a(S)-(3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyl)-pyrano[2,3-a] xanthene 8(7aH), 11(11aH) dione (6b). In the presence of ethanol, heptanol and cholesterol, the major products were 5-ethoxymethyl-2,2,7,8-tetramethyl-6-chromanol (16b), 5-heptoxymethyl-2,2,7,8-tetramethyl-6-chromanol (17) and 5-cholesteroxymethyl-2,2,7,8-tetramethyl-6-chromanol (18). However, when water was present in a homogeneous reaction, the most rapidly formed product was 2-(3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyl)-3,5,6-trimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone (5b). Compounds 13b, 14b, 16b, 17 and 18 are formedvia a quinone methide intermediate, and compound 5b is formedvia a phenoxylium ion. The phenoxylium species appears to be the preferred intermediate when water is present, whereas the quinone methide species is prefered in the absence of water.

Se-Aryl selenenylthiosulphates and S-aryl sulphenylthiosulphates as thiol-blocking reagents.

Se-Aryl selenenylthiosulphates and S-aryl sulphenylthiosulphates inhibit papain at pH 5.8 much more rapidly than do the corresponding Se-aryl selenosulphates and S-aryl thiosulphates, and also more rapidly than do Se-alkyl selenosulphates. Se-p-Nitrophenyl selenenylthiosulphate and S-p-nitrophenyl sulphenylthiosulphate inactivate papain most rapidly, but the inactivation is slowly and spontaneously reversible. Inactivation by Se-o-nitrophenyl selenenylthiosulphate and S-o-nitrophenyl sulphenylthiosulphate, although less rapid than that by the para isomers, is essentially irreversible.

Oxidation of 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid to the phenoxazinone cinnabarinic acid by peroxyl radicals and by compound I of peroxidases or catalase.

Since 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3HAA), an oxidation product of tryptophan metabolism, is a powerful radical scavenger [Christen, S., Peterhans, E., & Stocker, R. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87, 2506], its reaction with peroxyl radicals was investigated further. Exposure to aqueous peroxyl radicals generated at constant rate under air from the thermolabile radical initiator 2,2'-azobis[2-amid-inopropane] hydrochloride (AAPH) resulted in rapid consumption of 3HAA with initial accumulation of its cyclic dimer, cinnabarinic acid (CA). The initial rate of formation of the phenoxazinone CA accounted for approximately 75% of the initial rate of oxidation of 3HAA, taking into account that 2 mol of 3HAA are required to form 1 mol of CA. Consumption of 3HAA under anaerobic conditions (where alkyl radicals are produced from AAPH) was considerably slower and did not result in detectable formation of CA. Addition of superoxide dismutase enhanced autoxidation of 3HAA as well as the initial rates of peroxyl radical-induced oxidation of 3HAA and formation of CA by approximately 40-50%, whereas inclusion of xanthine/xanthine oxidase decreased the rate of oxidation of 3HAA by approximately 50% and inhibited formation of CA almost completely, suggesting that superoxide anion radical (O2.-) was formed and reacted with reaction intermediate(s) to curtail formation of CA. Formation of CA was also observed when 3HAA was added to performed compound I of horseradish peroxidase (HRPO) or catalytic amounts of either HRPO, myeloperoxidase, or bovine liver catalase together with glucose/glucose oxidase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Alkyl selenosulphates (seleno Bunte salts). A new class of thiol-blocking reagents.

Potassium benzyl selenosulphate and potassium p-nitrobenzyl selenosulphate were shown to be powerful inhibitors of the thiol-dependent enzymes glutathione reductase and papain, but to have no effect on the serine-dependent proteinase trypsin. By contrast, potassium benzyl thiosulphate and potassium p-nitrobenzyl thiosulphate, at much higher concentrations, have virtually no effect on any of the enzymes. The selenosulphates show characteristics of both reversible non-competitive and irreversible inhibition. On the basis of model reactions in which the selenosulphates react instantly with cysteine, it is suggested that they form labile selenosulphide derivatives with the enzymes, but that these derivatives may be broken down either by the normal functioning of the enzyme (in the case of glutathione reductase) or by the approaching substrate (in the case of papain). Continued inhibition of the enzymes requires a stoicheiometric excess of inhibitor over enzyme.

Production of superoxide by neutrophils.

Oxygen uptake by neutrophils has been stimulated by particulate serum-treated-zymosan (STZ) and soluble N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) in the presence and absence of the superoxide radical scavenger, cytochrome C. Results indicate that FMLP may stimulate neutrophils to produce superoxide but that STZ may not.

gamma-tocopherol traps mutagenic electrophiles such as NO(X) and complements alpha-tocopherol: physiological implications.

Peroxynitrite, a powerful mutagenic oxidant and nitrating species, is formed by the near diffusion-limited reaction of .NO and O2.- during activation of phagocytes. Chronic inflammation induced by phagocytes is a major contributor to cancer and other degenerative diseases. We examined how gamma-tocopherol (gammaT), the principal form of vitamin E in the United States diet, and alpha-tocopherol (alphaT), the major form in supplements, protect against peroxynitrite-induced lipid oxidation. Lipid hydroperoxide formation in liposomes (but not isolated low-density lipoprotein) exposed to peroxynitrite or the .NO and O2.- generator SIN-1 (3-morpholinosydnonimine) was inhibited more effectively by gammaT than alphaT. More importantly, nitration of gammaT at the nucleophilic 5-position, which proceeded in both liposomes and human low density lipoprotein at yields of approximately 50% and approximately 75%, respectively, was not affected by the presence of alphaT. These results suggest that despite alphaT's action as an antioxidant gammaT is required to effectively remove the peroxynitrite-derived nitrating species. We postulate that gammaT acts in vivo as a trap for membrane-soluble electrophilic nitrogen oxides and other electrophilic mutagens, forming stable carbon-centered adducts through the nucleophilic 5-position, which is blocked in alphaT. Because large doses of dietary alphaT displace gammaT in plasma and other tissues, the current wisdom of vitamin E supplementation with primarily alphaT should be reconsidered.