Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B Halliwell.
The interaction of copper salts with NADH or NADPH in the presence of hydrogen peroxide at physiological pH is shown to produce hydroxyl radicals. The physiological significance of these results is discussed.
Doxorubicin semiquinone, produced by reduction of doxorubicin with xanthine oxidase or ferredoxin reductase, reacted with H2O2 to cause deoxyribose oxidation that was catalysed by sub-micromolar concentrations of complexed iron. Both the mechanism of deoxyribose oxidation and the yield of oxidation products depended on the chelator. With EDTA or diethylenetriamine penta-acetic acid (DTPA), the reactive species behaved like free . OH. However, when ADP or no chelator was present, oxidation of deoxyribose was inhibited by mannitol but not benzoate or formate and was apparently not due to free . OH. Doxorubicin semiquinone and H2O2 caused peroxidation of phospholipid liposomes when ADP or no chelator was present, but not in the presence of EDTA or DTPA. Lipid peroxidation was iron dependent over a 0.1 to 1 microM range and was maximal with a pO2 of approximately 1.5 mm Hg, when the inhibitory effect of O2 on initiation is balanced by its stimulatory effects on propagation. The results imply that H2O2 and the doxorubicin semiquinone at low iron and O2 concentrations are very effective at initiating lipid peroxidation.
The sera of patients with idiopathic haemochromatosis and iron-overload have been found to contain low-molecular-weight iron complexes detectable in the 'bleomycin assay'. These complexes stimulate both the peroxidation of membrane lipids and the formation of the highly reactive and damaging hydroxyl radical. The iron chelator desferrioxamine interferes with these reactions. We suggest that oxygen radical reactions stimulated by iron salts are important in the pathology of idiopathic haemochromatosis.
Bleomycin is an antineoplastic agent that causes a dose-related lung fibrosis that limits its therapeutic effectiveness. It has been proposed that the cellular toxicity and antitumor effects of bleomycin occur by formation of O2-Fe(II)-bleomycin complexes that degrade DNA and release O2- and OH radicals that attack other cellular components. Twice daily injections of the iron chelator deferoxamine were utilized in an attempt to ameliorate bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis. They failed to diminish bleomycin-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis in rats.
Seven patients with rheumatoid disease were given the iron-chelating drug desferrioxamine (DFX) to evaluate its possible anti-inflammatory effects. Two of these patients, who also received the anti-emetic prochlorperazine, lost consciousness for 48-72 h and then fully recovered. Electroencephalography showed abnormalities of the type associated with metabolic disturbance. One of these patients showed pyramidal features and subsequently developed an optic neuropathy and pigmentary retinopathy. Analysis of his cerebrospinal fluid showed a decrease in loosely-bound (catalytic) iron and increase in loosely-bound (catalytic) copper, total iron and products of lipid peroxidation, with values approaching normal as the symptoms resolved. Subsequent in vivo/vitro studies clearly demonstrated that the neurological effects were due to a synergistic action of desferrioxamine and prochlorperazine, probably resulting in exceptional fluxes of intra/extra cellular iron/copper disturbing noradrenergic and serotonergic systems. Two other patients who did not receive prochlorperazine, developed retinal problems which later improved, one after only 15 g of desferrioxamine. Our observations suggest a new model for metabolic encephalopathy studies and provide insight into the mechanisms of pigmentary retinopathy.
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It is proposed that one of the functions of the mucus layers lining the respiratory tract and gastrointestinal system is the scavenging of highly reactive oxygen-derived species. This would provide antioxidant protection to the underlying mucosal epithelial cells.
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Thiobarbituric acid (TBA)-reactive material is present in serum and knee joint synovial fluid from rheumatoid patients, consistent with lipid peroxidation occurring in vivo. The amount of TBA-reactive material in synovial fluid correlates with the concentration of iron salts present as determined by the bleomycin method, presumably because iron is an important catalyst of radical reactions in vivo. There appear to be significant correlations between the contents of TBA-reactive material and bleomycin-detectable iron in synovial fluid and the activity of rheumatoid arthritis as assessed with a clinical index of local inflammation and with various laboratory parameters.
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The variable valency of the transition element manganese allows it to catalyse redox reactions. This can be made use of in mangano -superoxide dismutase enzymes, but manganese-induced oxidation of NADH and dihydroxyflumarates generate damaging oxygen radicals. Manganese-stimulated oxidations of adrenalin and its derivatives to form toxic products may be involved in the etiology of manganese neurotoxicity.
A mixture of NADPH and ferredoxin reductase is a convenient way of reducing adriamycin in vitro. Under aerobic conditions the adriamycin semiquinone reacts rapidly with O2 and superoxide radical is produced. Superoxide generated either by adriamycin:ferredoxin reductase or by hypoxanthine:xanthine oxidase can promote the formation of hydroxyl radicals in the presence of soluble iron chelates. Hydroxyl radicals produced by a hypoxanthine:xanthine oxidase system in the presence of an iron chelate cause extensive fragmentation in double-stranded DNA. Protection is offered by catalase, superoxide dismutase or desferrioxamine. Addition of double-stranded DNA to a mixture of adriamycin, ferredoxin reductase, NADPH and iron chelate inhibits formation of both superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. This is not due to direct inhibition of ferredoxin reductase and single-stranded DNA has a much weaker inhibitory effect. It is concluded that adriamycin intercalated into DNA cannot be reduced.
The stroma of spinach chloroplasts contains ascorbic acid and glutathione at millimolar concentrations. [Reduced glutathione]/[oxidized glutathione] and [ascorbate]/[dehydroascorbate] ratios are high under both light and dark conditions and no evidence for a role of oxidized glutathione or dehydroascorbate in the dark-deactivation of fructose bisphosphatase could be obtained. Addition of H2O2 to chloroplasts in the dark decreases the above ratios, an effect that is reversed on illumination. Addition of Paraquat to illuminated chloroplasts caused a rapid oxidation of reduced glutathione and ascorbate, and apparent loss of dehydroascorbate. Paraquat rapidly inactivated fructose bisphosphatase activity, as assayed under physiological conditions.
Ferritin-containing fractions with different degrees of iron loading were prepared. All ferritin fractions stimulated the peroxidation of bovine brain phospholipid liposomes, as measured by the formation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive material. This stimulation was increased in the presence of ascorbate. Iron salts of equivalent concentration to those of the ferritin fractions were more stimulatory to lipid peroxidation at the higher iron concentrations. None of the fractions inhibited ascorbate-dependent peroxidation in the presence of added iron salts.
Copper (Cu2+) ions at physiological concentrations can promote the formation of hydroxyl radical (OH) or a species of equivalent reactivity. The reaction requires H2O2 and a reducing agent. Reduction of Cu2+ can be achieved by superoxide ion generated by a mixture of hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase or added directly as its potassium salt. Reduction of Cu2+ can also be achieved by ascorbic acid. Hence both O2- -dependent and ascorbate-dependent formation of OH from H2O2 in the presence of Cu2+ can be observed. Only the former reaction is significantly inhibited by superoxide dismutase. The binding of Cu2+ to histidine or albumin at physiological concentrations decreases the formation of OH radicals in free solution in the presence of either ascorbate or an (O2- -generating system. It is suggested that OH is still formed but reacts immediately with the binding molecule.