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A Samuni

Publications and source records attributed to A Samuni.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The pro-oxidative activity of SOD and nitroxide SOD mimics.

Native Cu,Zn-SOD and synthetic SOD mimics sometimes demonstrate an apparently anomalous bell-shaped dose-response relationship when protecting various biological systems from oxidative stress. Several mechanisms have been proposed to account for such an effect, including: overproduction of H(2)O(2), peroxidative activity of SOD, and opposing roles played by O(2)(*-) in both initiation and termination of radical chain reactions. In the present study, ferrocyanide and thiols, which are susceptible to one-electron and two-electron oxidation, respectively, were subjected to a flux of superoxide in the presence and absence of SOD or SOD mimics. The results show that 1) either O(2)(*-)/HO(2)(*) or H(2)O(2) alone partially inactivates papain, whereas when combined they act synergistically; 2) nitroxide SOD mimics, but not SOD, exhibit a bell-shaped dose-response relationship in protecting papain from inactivation; 3) SOD, which at low dose inhibits superoxide-induced oxidation of ferrocyanide, loses its antioxidative effect as its concentration increases. These findings offer an additional explanation for the pro-oxidative activity of SOD and SOD mimics without invoking any dual activity of O(2)(*-) or a combined effect of SOD and H(2)O(2). The most significant outcome of an increase in SOD level is a decrease of [O(2)(*-)](steady state), rather than any notable elevation of [H(2)O(2)](steady state). As a result, the reaction kinetics of the high oxidation state of each catalyst is altered. In the presence of ultra-low [O(2)(*-)](steady state), the oxidized form of SOD [Cu(II),Zn-SOD] or SOD mimic (oxo-ammonium cation) does not react with O(2)(*-) but rather oxidizes the target molecule that it was supposed to have protected. Consequently, these catalysts exert an anti- or pro-oxidative effect depending on their concentration.

Antioxidants↗

Kinetics of superoxide-induced exchange among nitroxide antioxidants and their oxidized and reduced forms.

Nitroxide stable radicals generally serve for probing molecular motion in membranes and whole cells, transmembrane potential, intracellular oxygen and pH, and are tested as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. Recently nitroxides were found to protect against oxidative stress. Unlike most low molecular weight antioxidants (LMWA) which are depleted while attenuating oxidative damage, nitroxides can be recycled. In many cases the antioxidative activity of nitroxides is associated with switching between their oxidized and reduced forms. In the present work, superoxide radicals were generated either radiolytically or enzymatically using hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometry was used to follow the exchange between the nitroxide radical and its reduced form; whereas, pulse radiolysis was employed to study the kinetics of hydroxylamine oxidation. The results indicate that: a) The rate constant of superoxide reaction with cyclic hydroxylamines is pH-independent and is lower by several orders of magnitude than the rate constant of superoxide reaction with nitroxides; b) The oxidation of hydroxylamine by superoxide is primarily responsible for the non-enzymatic recycling of nitroxides; c) The rate of nitroxides restoration decreases as the pH decreases because nitroxides remove superoxide more efficiently than is hydroxylamine oxidation; d) The hydroxylamine reaction with oxidized nitroxide (comproportionation) might participate in the exchange among the three oxidation states of nitroxide. However, simulation of the time-dependence and pH-dependence of the exchange suggests that such a comproportionation is too slow to affect the rate of non-enzymatic nitroxide restoration. We conclude that the protective activity of nitroxides in vitro can be distinguished from that of common LMWA due to hydroxylamine oxidation by superoxide, which allows nitroxide recycling and enables its catalytic activity.

Antioxidants↗

Nitroxide stable radical suppresses autoimmune uveitis in rats.

Free radicals have been implicated in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU). Nitroxides are stable radicals with a superoxide-dismutase-mimicking activity, which exert an anti-inflammatory effect in various animal models of oxidative damage and inflammation, such as experimental colitis and head trauma. We examined the use of the SOD mimic nitroxide 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6,-tetramethylpiperidine-1-N-oxyl (TPL) to suppress EAU. Adult male Lewis rats were immunized with 125 microg/rat synthetic human retinal S-Ag, emulsified with Freund's adjuvant. Intravenous pertussis toxin was simultaneously injected. Beginning on Day 6, rats were injected with a daily intraperitoneal dose of 35, 175 or 350 micromol/rat of the nitroxide TPL. Control rats received intraperitoneal normal saline. The animals were examined daily, and on the 19th day the eyes were enucleated. Aqueous protein concentrations and retinal lipid peroxidation product levels (ketodienes and conjugated dienes) were determined. Histological sections were stained and examined microscopically. TPL was found to penetrate the aqueous humor readily. Beginning on day 12, rats developed a severe pan-uveitis. Rats in the treatment group had a lower mean clinical and histological score than that of controls. Levels of aqueous humor protein, retinal conjugated diens and ketodiens were all significantly lower in the treatment group. This effect was more pronounced with the lower TPL concentration. We conclude that TPL reduces clinical, biochemical and histopathological severity of S-Ag induced EAU in Lewis rats. This effect is probably mediated by removal of superoxide radicals, but other mechanisms may also be involved.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The role of superoxide dismutation in malaria parasites.

Oxidant stress is associated with the generation of reactive oxygen species that are responsible for the damage of a variety of cellular components. The prevention of such biological damage can be achieved by dismutation of superoxide to H2O2 which in turn is removed by catalase and GSH peroxidase. However, redox-active iron released during the development of plasmodia in the erythrocyte can mediate the conversion of H2O2 to hydroxyl radical which is more reactive. The roles of SOD and the nitroxide SOD mimic 4-OH,2,2,6,6,tetramethyl piperidine-N-oxyl (Tempol) were examined in P. falciparum grown in vitro. Both compounds did not prevent the interference with growth inflicted by various inducers of oxidant stress. Moreover, Tempol inhibited parasite growth, in agreement with previous experiments depicting accelerated mortality in SOD overexpressing mouse model of malaria. Probably, effective defense against ROS requires balanced increments in antioxidant enzymes and is not necessarily improved by an increase in the activity of one enzyme.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Mechanisms underlying gastric antiulcerative activity of nitroxides in rats.

Reactive oxygen-derived species and redox-active metals are implicated in mediation of the pathogenesis of gastric mucosal damage and ulceration. Therefore, common strategies of intervention employ metal chelators, antioxidative enzymes, and low-molecular-weight antioxidants (LMWA). The aim of the present study was to elaborate the mechanism(s) responsible for the protection provided by nitroxide radicals in the experimental model of gastric ulceration. Fasted male rats were treated ig with 1 ml 96% ethanol, with or without ig pretreatment with nitroxide or hydroxylamine. In several experiments, rats were injected ip or iv with iron(III) or iron(II) prior to ethanol administration. Rats were sacrificed 10 min after ethanol administration, the stomach was removed, washed and lesion area measured. Pretreatment with iron(III) complexed to nitrilotriacetate or citrate, aggravated the extent of the gastric injury. Conversely, iron(II) inhibited the formation of lesions. The nitroxides were rapidly reduced to their respective hydroxylamines and demonstrated antiulcerative activity for rats treated with iron. However, injecting the hydroxylamine resulted in a similar tissue distribution of nitroxide/hydroxylamnine but did not provide protection. The results show that: (a) the nitroxide radicals, rather than their respective non-radical reduced form, are the active species responsible for protection; (b) nitroxides protect by dismutating O2*- and possibly indirectly increasing the NO level; (c) unlike classical LMWA which are reducing agents, nitroxides inhibit gastric damage by acting as mild oxidants, oxidizing reduced metals and pre-empting the Fenton reaction; and (d) the nitroxides act catalytically as recycling antioxidants.

Animals↗

An SOD-mimicry mechanism underlies the role of nitroxides in protecting papain from oxidative inactivation.

Nitroxide stable free radicals have previously been found to afford protection in various biological systems against diverse types of oxidative stress, including, ischemia/reperfusion, hyperoxia, mechanical trauma, toxic xenobiotics, ionizing radiation, gastric and colonic irritants or strong oxidants. Dismutation of superoxide has originally been suggested to be one of the mechanisms that underlie the anti-oxidant effect of nitroxides. However, no direct evidence has been found, so far, to support this assumption. In the present study, superoxide and H2O2, generated enzymatically, were used to directly inactivate papain, a sulfhydryl enzyme, in vitro. The rate of papain inactivation served to assess the damage. The reaction mixtures contained a chelate in order to prevent the effect of adventitious redox-active metal ions, pre-empt the Fenton reaction and avoid hydroxyl-induced damage. Catalase or SOD alone partially protected the papain from inactivation. The protective effect of nitroxides resembled that of SOD in several aspects: a) nitroxides provided partial protection; b) the protective effect of nitroxides did not increase with the elevation of their concentration (above 0.5 mM); c) the combined addition of SOD and the nitroxide did not provide greater protection than that demonstrated by nitroxides or SOD separately; d) the effects of catalase with the nitroxide were additive; e) the nitroxide, like SOD itself, did not protect papain from H2O2-induced inactivation; f) the nitroxide was found not to be consumed in the course of the reaction but rather to be recycled. The results indicate that: (a) the main species responsible for the papain inactivation in a system in which the effect of transition metals is pre-empted, are O2-. and H2O2; (b) nitroxides inhibit the oxidative damage by removing superoxide not stoichiometrically, but rather catalytically as SOD-mimics; (c) nitroxides do not afford protection when the oxidative damage is induced directly by H2O2 (and not mediated by redox-active metals).

Antioxidants↗

Mechanism of brain protection by nitroxide radicals in experimental model of closed-head injury.

Reactive oxygen-derived species were previously implicated in mediation of post-traumatic brain damage; however, the efficacy of traditional antioxidants in preventing/reversing the damage is sometimes limited. The present work focused on the mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective activity of cell permeable, nontoxic, antioxidants, namely stable nitroxide radicals in an experimental model of rat closed-head injury. Brain damage was induced by the weight-drop method and the clinical status was evaluated according to a neurological severity score at 1 h and 24 h, where the difference between these scores reflects the extent of recovery. The metal chelator deferoxamine as well as three nitroxide derivatives, differing in hydrophilicity and charge, and one hydroxylamine (a reduced nitroxide) facilitated the clinical recovery and decreased the brain edema. The nitroxides, but neither the hydroxylamine nor deferoxamine, protected the integrity of the blood-brain barrier. Superoxide dismutase also improved the clinical recovery but did not affect brain edema or the blood-brain barrier. The results suggest that by switching back and forth between themselves, the nitroxide and hydroxylamine act catalytically as self-replenishing antioxidants, and protect brain tissue by terminating radical-chain reactions, oxidizing deleterious metal ions, and by removal of intracellular superoxide.

Animals↗

Both hydroxylamine and nitroxide protect cardiomyocytes from oxidative stress.

The unique anti-oxidative activity of nitroxide radicals protecting against reactive oxygen-derived species (ROS) has been recently demonstrated in several model systems. The present study focuses on the activity of nitroxide and of its reduced form in cultured rat ventricular cardiomyocytes exposed to O2.- and H2O2 generated by hypoxanthine (HX) and xanthine oxidase (XO). To evaluate cell injury, spontaneous beating, leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and depletion of cellular ATP were determined. The protective effect of 4-OH-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidine-N-oxyl (TPL) was compared with that of 4-OH-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-hydroxypiperidine (TPL-H) and of several common anti-oxidants. A rapid exchange between TPL and TPL-H, is mediated by cellular metabolism and through reactions with ROS. In particular, TPL under O2.- flux is oxidized to oxo-ammonium cation (TPL+) which comproportionates with TPL-H yielding two nitroxide radicals. Because this exchange limits the distinction between the biological activities of TPL and TPL-H, NADH which can reduce TPL+ was included in order to maintain the nitroxide in its reduced form. The results demonstrate that both TPL and TPL-H protect cardiomyocytes against beating loss and LDH leakage. Conversely, cellular ATP depletion induced by HX/XO is inhibited by TPL-H, though not by TPL, suggesting that different mechanisms underlie their protective activities. Through a flip-flop between the two forms, which coexist in the system, the levels of TPL-H and TPL are continuously replenished. The conversion, upon reaction, of each antioxidant into the other one enables them, contrary to common antioxidants which operate in a stoichiometric mode, to act catalytically.

Animals↗

Nitroxide radical attenuates ischaemia/reperfusion injury to the rat small intestine.

BACKGROUND: Free radicals are associated with post-ischaemic intestinal injury and contribute to major clinical problems primarily in premature infants. Various antioxidative means and modes of intervention, previously tested, have demonstrated only limited efficacy. AIMS: To study the protective activity of the stable nitroxide radical 4-OH, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TPL) and its respective hydroxylamine (TPL-H) against ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. METHODS: An isolated loop of ileum was created in laboratory male Sabra rats and constantly perfused with warmed normal saline. Intestinal injury was elicited through clamping of the superior mesenteric rat artery followed by reperfusion. Either TPL or TPL-H was given intravenously immediately before ischaemia or reperfusion and continuously afterwards. The rate of mucosal to lumen clearance of para-aminohippurate (PAH) was used to evaluate intestinal mucosal injury. Serum and perfusate levels of both TPL and TPL-H were measured using electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometry. RESULTS: The increase in intestinal permeability induced by I/R was significantly inhibited by both TPL and TPL-H. The nitroxide was effective also when given immediately before reperfusion. CONCLUSIONS: Through a continuous exchange, TPL and TPL-H act as self-replenishing antioxidants and thus protect from intestinal injury. This demonstrates the potential of the family of nitroxide antioxidants against oxidative stress in general and I/R injury in particular.

Animals↗

Nitroxide radicals prevent metal-aggravated reperfusion injury in isolated rat heart.

The effects of Cu(II) and the stable nitroxide radical 4-OH-2, 2, 6, 6-tetramethyl-piperidine-1-oxyl (TPL) on reperfusion injury following global myocardial ischemia have been studied using the isolated rat heart model in the Langendorff configuration. Hearts were equilibrated with Krebs-Henseleit buffer (KH-buffer) for 10 min and subjected to 18 min of normothermic global ischemia. After 20 min reperfusion, hemodynamic parameters recovered as follows: ventricular developed pressure (77%), dP/dt (71%) and -dP/dt (80%), heart rate (91%), and work index (70%). End-diastolic pressure was 16 mm Hg. When 10 microM Cu-nitrilotriacetate or Cu-(histidine)2 was included in the perfusate before, during, and following ischemia, the heart injury was more extensive and the work index only recovered to 17% of the preischemic value. The inclusion of 100 microM TPL during reperfusion abolished the copper-induced sensitization. In the absence of copper, TPL did not provide any protection against ischemia-reperfusion damage to the heart. The inclusion of 100 microM 1,4-dihydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine (TPL-H) during reperfusion, partially abolished the copper-induced sensitization. Since conversion between TPL and TPL-H takes place, the fact that both forms provide protection can increase their protective efficacy.

Animals↗

Stimulation by nitroxides of catalase-like activity of hemeproteins. Kinetics and mechanism.

The ability of stable nitroxide radicals to detoxify hypervalent heme proteins such as ferrylmyoglobin (MbFeIV) produced in the reaction of metmyoglobin (MbFeIII) and H2O2 was evaluated by monitoring O2 evolution, H2O2 depletion, and redox changes of the heme prosthetic group. The rate of H2O2 depletion and O2 evolution catalyzed by MbFeIII was enhanced by stable nitroxides such as 4-OH-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidinoxyl (TPL) in a catalytic fashion. The reduction of MbFeIV to MbFeIII was the rate-limiting step. Excess TPL over MbFeIII enhanced catalase-like activity more than 4-fold. During dismutation of H2O2, [TPL] and [MbFeIV] remained constant. NADH caused: (a) inhibition of H2O2 decay; (b) progressive reduction of TPL to its respective hydroxylamine TPL-H; and (c) arrest/inhibition of oxygen evolution or elicit consumption of O2. Following depletion of NADH the evolution of O2 resumed, and the initial concentration of TPL was restored. Kinetic analysis showed that two distinct forms of MbFeIV might be involved in the process. In summary, by shuttling between two oxidation states, namely nitroxide and oxoammonium cation, stable nitroxides enhance the catalase mimic activity of MbFeIII, thus facilitating H2O2 dismutation accompanied by O2 evolution and providing protection against hypervalent heme proteins.

Animals↗

Do nitroxide antioxidants act as scavengers of O2-. or as SOD mimics?

Stable nitroxide radicals were reported to act as SOD mimics and catalyze the dismutation of O2-. through two different catalytic pathways including reductive and oxidative reaction mechanisms (Samuni, A., Krishna, C. M., Riesz, P., Finkelstein, E. & Russo, A. (1988) J. Biol Chem. 263, 17921-17924). Recent studies directly monitoring O2-. and employing kinetics analysis did not reveal SOD activity of nitroxides (Weiss, R. H., Flickinger, A. G., Rivers, W. J., Hardy, M. M., Aston, K. W., Ryan, U. S. & Riley, D. P. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 23049-23054). Such discrepancy may result in cases where distinction of stoichiometric scavengers from catalytic detoxifiers of O2-. is not readily feasible. Nitroxides are effective antioxidants that protect against oxidative injury in various pathological processes. The distinction of their SOD mimic activity from O2-. scavenging was established by examining the validity of direct and indirect methods employed to assay SOD-like catalytic activity. Kinetics analysis along with direct EPR monitoring were used to study the mechanism underlying nitroxide reactions with O2-.. The nitroxide EPR signal decayed in the presence of NADH but otherwise did not decrease with time, thus substantiating its catalytic role in O2-. dismutation. The catalytic rate constants for O2-., dismutation, determined for the nitroxides tested, were found to increase with [H+], indicating that .OOH rather than O2-. is oxidizing the nitroxide. The results demonstrate the limitations associated with direct kinetics analysis in evaluating SOD mimic activity, underscoring the need for independent assays for valid discrimination of SOD mimics from stoichiometric scavengers of O2-..

Antioxidants↗

Cerebroprotective effect of stable nitroxide radicals in closed head injury in the rat.

Nitroxide stable radicals are unreactive toward most diamagnetic molecules, but readily undergo one-electron redox reactions with paramagnetic species such as free radicals and transition metals, thus serving as cell permeable antioxidants. The involvement of reactive oxygen species in the pathophysiology of neurotrauma has been well established. The neuroprotective properties of three nitroxides: 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-N-oxyl (TPO), the hydrophilic analog: TPL, and its reduced form: TPH, were tested in a rat model of closed head injury (CHI). CHI was induced in ether anesthetized rats by a weight drop device and recovery was followed for up to 24 h. The "clinical status' was evaluated according to a "Neurological Severity Score' (NSS), at 1 h and 24 h, the difference between these scores, delta NSS, reflecting the extent of recovery. Edema was assessed by measurement of water content at 24 h. The integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was investigated using Evans Blue extravasation. TPL, TPH and TPO facilitated clinical recovery, the latter causing a more pronounced effect (delta NSS = 7.63 +/- 0.26 in treated rats vs 4.94 +/- 0.48 in control rats, P < 0.001). TPL was found to significantly reduce edema formation (80.13% +/- 0.26 vs 83.65% +/- 0.49, P < 0.001) and to ameliorate BBB disruption (P < 0.001). The therapeutic window of TPL was found to be in the range of 4 h after CHI. The mechanisms underlying the nitroxide neuroprotective activity presumably involve: (a) reoxidation of reduced transition metal ions; (b) a selective radical-radical reaction; and (c) catalytic removal of intracellular and extracellular .O2-. The results indicate that nitroxides could be used in neuroprotective treatment of CHI.

Animals↗

Opposing effects of nitroxide free radicals in Escherichia coli mutants deficient in DNA repair.

Nitroxide free radicals have been previously shown to function as superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimics and to protect bacterial and mammalian cells against oxidative damage, particularly from superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. Although nitroxides are generally considered to be non-toxic nor mutagenic, there is no agreement regarding their potential adverse effect. Some toxic effects were observed upon using high concentration of six-membered ring derivatives. Conflicting evidence has also been reported regarding the mutagenic activity of nitroxides toward Salmonella typhimurium. It was also demonstrated that nitroxides exert two opposing effects on exonuclease III deficient cells of Escherichia coli upon exposure to naphthoquinones. The attempts to use nitroxides as contrast agents in nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and as a new class of anti-oxidants underscore the need to examine their potential adverse effects. Since nitroxides protected xthA cells from DNA scission caused by H2O2, it was anticipated that they would provide even greater protection for recA DNA repair-deficient cells of E. coli, which are more sensitive to H2O2-induced oxidative stress. The results of the present study showed that: (a) nitroxides exert bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects on recA but not on xthA or wild-type E. coli K12 cells; (b) nitroxides and H2O2 act synergistically on recA cells, both under aerobic and hypoxic conditions; (c) the nitroxide-induced toxicity in recA cells and the synergistic effect with H2O2 were not accompanied by a decrease in the cellular level of reduced glutathione; (d) TEMPAMINE protected against DNA scission induced by H2O2 and 1,10-ortho-phenanthroline chelate of Cu(II) in xthA cells, but potentiated DNA double-strand breakage in recA cells.

2,2'-Dipyridyl↗

Nitric oxide potentiates hydrogen peroxide-induced killing of Escherichia coli.

Previously, we reported that nitric oxide (NO) provides significant protection to mammalian cells from the cytotoxic effects of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Murine neutrophils and activated macrophages, however, produce NO, H2O2, and other reactive oxygen species to kill microorganisms, which suggests a paradox. In this study, we treated bacteria (Escherichia coli) with NO and H2O2 for 30 min and found that exposure to NO resulted in minimal toxicity, but greatly potentiated (up to 1,000-fold) H2O2-mediated killing, as evaluated by a clonogenic assay. The combination of NO/H2O2 induced DNA double strand breaks in the bacterial genome, as shown by field-inverted gel electrophoresis, and this increased DNA damage may correlate with cell killing. NO was also shown to alter cellular respiration and decrease the concentration of the antioxidant glutathione to a residual level of 15-20% in bacterial cells. The iron chelator desferrioxamine did not stop the action of NO on respiration and glutathione decrease, yet it prevented the NO/H2O2 synergistic cytotoxicity, implicating metal ions as critical participants in the NO/H2O2 cytocidal mechanism. Our results suggest a possible mechanism of modulation of H2O2-mediated toxicity, and we propose a new key role in the antimicrobial macrophagic response for NO.

Catalase↗

Do nitroxides protect cardiomyocytes from hydrogen peroxide or superoxide?

The aim of the research was to study the role played by extracellular O2-radicals, which are implicated in cardiac cell damage and the protective effect by cell-permeable, nitroxide, superoxide dismutase-mimics. Cardiomyocytes cultures from 1-day-old rats served as the test-system. Experiments were performed since 5th day in culture when > 80% of the cells were beating myocardial cells. Oxidative damage was induced by 0.5 mM hypoxanthine and 0.06 U/ml xanthine oxidase or by 10 mM glucose and 0.15 U/ml glucose oxidase. The parameters used to evaluate damages were spontaneous beating, lactate dehydrogenase release and ATP level. The rhythmic pulsation was followed microscopically. To determine the kinetics of cytosolic enzyme release from the cells, media samples were collected at various points of time and assayed for enzyme activity. To determine the cellular ATP, cells were washed with sodium phosphate buffer, scraped off and boiled for 3 min with sodium phosphate buffer. Following centrifugation the supernatant was collected and ATP was determined by the chemiluminogenic assay using firefly tails. The present results indicate that nitroxide stable free radicals in the millimolar concentration range, provide full protection without toxic side-effect. Unlike exogenously added SOD that failed to protect, exogenous catalase provided almost full protection. In addition, the metal-chelating agent dipyridyl, but not diethylene-triamine-pentaacetate or desferrioxamine, protected the cultured cells. The present results suggest that H2O2 is the predominant toxic species mediating the oxidative damage whereas extracellular superoxide radical does not contribute to cultured cardiomyocyte damage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

A stable nitroxide radical effectively decreases mucosal damage in experimental colitis.

TEMPOL, a cyclic nitroxide stable radical blocks biological damage by breaking chain reactions through termination reaction with free radicals, and by inhibiting the catalytic effect of transition metals. This study tested its protective effect on two models of experimental colitis as free radicals play an important part in their pathogenesis. TEMPOL was given intragastrically immediately after induction of colitis with acetic acid or trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNB) and mucosal damage was assessed one, three, or seven days later. Cellular partition of TEMPOL was determined by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. In vitro experiments showed that TEMPOL immediately penetrates colonic mucosa and, following its intragastric administration, it persists in both gastric and colonic mucosa for several hours. Intragastric administration of TEMPOL, 0.5 g/kg/bw, immediately after intracaecal administration of 5% acetic acid significantly decreased mucosal lesion area, myeloperoxidase activity, and leukotriene B4 and C4 generation when assessed 24 hours after damage induction. Intragastric administration of TEMPOL, 0.5 g/kg/bw, immediately after intracolonic administration of 30 mg TNB in 0.25 ml 50% ethanol, and once daily thereafter, significantly decreased mucosal lesion area assessed after one, three, and seven days, having no effect on LTC4 generation and affecting colonic weight, myeloperoxidase activity, and LTB4 generation only sporadically. In conclusion, TNB and acetic acid induced colitis can be pharmacologically manipulated by TEMPOL. TEMPOL may be beneficial in the treatment or prevention of inflammatory bowel disease.

Acetates↗

Nitroxide stable radical prevents primaquine-induced lysis of red blood cell.

Primaquine (PQ), an antimalarial drug, is known to produce multiple oxidative effects in red blood cells (RBC). Because H2O2, OH and intracellular superoxide are implicated in this oxidation, the effect of cell-permeable nitroxide 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl (TEMPO) capable of scavenging O2.- has been studied. PQ caused RBC lysis and facilitated the oxidation of oxyhemoglobin (oxyHb) to methemoglobin (MetHb). The lysis was partially inhibited by catalase and by the metal chelating agent 2,2-dipyridyl. TEMPO blocked PQ-induced RBC lysis in dose-dependent manner (2 mM IC50) but enhanced the oxidation of oxyHb to MetHb. PQ facilitated the lysis also in the presence of CO but without effecting Hb oxidation. This hemolysis, however, was inhibited by TEMPO. The results indicated that: (a) no causative relationship exists between PQ-induced Hb oxidation and RBC lysis; (b) TEMPO can directly oxidize heme-iron without causing membrane injury; (c) the aerobic toxicity of PQ in this system is mediated by O2.- and H2O2 and possibly by redox-active labile metals (d) TEMPO can protect by detoxifying O2.- and oxidizing reduced labile metal ions and thus blocking their participation in Fenton reaction.

Cyclic N-Oxides↗