J Van der Zee

Peroxide-induced membrane damage in human erythrocytes

Erythrocytes exposed to H2O2 or t-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) exhibited lipid peroxidation and increased passive cation permeability. In the case of tBHP a virtually complete inhibition of both processes was caused by butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), whereas pretreatment of the cells with CO increased both lipid peroxidation and K+ leakage. In the experiments with H2O2, on the other hand, both BHT and CO strongly inhibited lipid peroxidation, without affecting the increased passive cation permeability. These observations indicate different mechanisms of oxidative damage, induced by H2O2 and tBHP, respectively. The SH-reagent diamide strongly inhibited H2O2-induced K+ leakage, indicating the involvement of SH oxidation in this process. With tBHP, on the contrary, K+ leakage was not significantly influenced by diamide. Thiourea inhibited tBHP-induced K+ leakage, without affecting lipid peroxidation. Together with other experimental evidence this contradicts a rigorous interdependence of tBHP-induced lipid peroxidation and K+ leakage.

Inhibition of enzymes and oxidative damage of red blood cells induced by t-butylhydroperoxide-derived radicals

The effects of t-butylhydroperoxide (tBHP), its alkoxyl radical (tBuO.) and its peroxyl radical (tBuOO.) in model systems and on red blood cells were studied. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase was strongly inhibited by tBHP via a direct reaction of the hydroperoxide with an essential sulfhydryl group in the enzyme molecule. Several other enzymes were unaffected by tBHP. Alcohol dehydrogenase was strongly inhibited by tBuO. but was much less sensitive to tBuOO.. Lysozyme, lactate dehydrogenase and trypsin, on the other hand, were very sensitive to the peroxyl and not, or much less, to the alkoxyl radical, whereas acetylcholinesterase was very sensitive to both radicals. tBuOO. caused covalent binding of tryptophan, tyrosine, histidine and methionine to serum albumin. The corresponding alkoxyl radical was ineffective in this respect. Conversely, tBuO. caused peroxidation of linolenic acid, whereas tBuOO. did not. Incubation of human erythrocytes with tBHP caused lipid peroxidation and K+ leakage. Both effects were caused by tBHP-derived radicals generated in a reaction of the hydroperoxide with hemoglobin. With radical scavengers it was possible to dissociate tBHP-induced lipid peroxidation and K+ leakage, demonstrating that these two processes are not causally related. Experimental results indicate that tBuO. causes lipid peroxidation, whereas tBuOO. is responsible for K+ leakage.

A role for the transient increase of cytoplasmic free calcium in cell rescue after photodynamic treatment

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and T24 human bladder transitional carcinoma cells were treated with the photosensitizers aluminum phthalocyanine (AlPc) and hematoporphyrin derivative (HPD), respectively. Exposure of both sensitized cell lines to red light caused an immediate increase of cytoplasmic free calcium, [Ca2+]i, reaching a peak within 5-15 min after exposure and then returning to basal level (approximately 200 nM). The level of the peak [Ca2+]i depended on the light fluence, reaching a maximum of 800-1000 nM at light doses that kill about 90% of the cells. Loading the cells with the intracellular calcium chelators quin2 or BAPTA prior to light exposure enhanced cell killing. This indicates that increased [Ca2+]i after photodynamic therapy (PDT) contributed to survivability of the treated cells by triggering a cellular rescue response. The results of experiments with calcium-free buffer and calcium chelators indicate that both in CHO cells treated with AlPc and with HPD-PDT of T24 cells extracellular Ca2+ influx is mainly responsible for elevated [Ca2+]i. PDT is unique in triggering a cell rescue process via elevated [Ca2+]i. Other cytotoxic agents, e.g., H2O2, produce sustained increase of [Ca2+]i that is involved in the pathological processes leading to cell death.

PHOTODYNAMIC GENERATION OF HYDROXYL RADICALS BY HEMATOPORPHYRIN DERIVATIVE AND LIGHT

In a reaction mixture containing hematoporphyrin derivative, deoxyribose, Fe3+‐EDTA and either methionine or tryptophan, hydroxyl radicals were formed during illumination with visible light. When either hematoporphyrin derivative, Fe3+‐EDTA or the amino acid was omitted from the reaction mixture, the generation of hydroxyl radicals ceased. These observations suggest an iron‐catalyzed Haber‐Weiss reaction, involving superoxide and hydrogen peroxide in the generation of hydroxyl radicals. It could be shown that with methionine H2O2 was indeed an essential intermediate in the reaction sequence. With tryptophan, however, H2O2, was not generated. Apparently a photooxidation product of tryptophan could replace H2O2 in the OH‐generating reaction with Fe2+‐EDTA. Although superoxide was generated in the reaction mixture, it was not an indispensable intermediate. Apparently a porphyrin radical, formed via photoexcitation of hematoporphyrin derivative, could replace superoxide in the Haber‐Weiss reaction.

The Role of Hydroxyl Radicals in the Degradation of DNA By Ozone

The degradation of the nucleotides dAMP, dGMP, dCMP and dTMP and of calf thymus DNA by ozone was studied. In all cases both base and sugar moiety were degraded. Furthermore, strand breaks were induced in calf thymus DNA. Hydroxyl radicals were probably involved in the oxidation of the base in dAMP and of the deoxyribose ring, but not in the degradation of the other bases. This indicates that ozone-induced DNA damage proceeds both directly via ozone molecules and indirectly via hydroxyl radicals.