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Biomedical subjects

L Packer

Publications and source records attributed to L Packer.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Interactions between ubiquinones and vitamins in membranes and cells.

The interaction between ubiquinones and vitamin E was studied in the inner membranes of rat liver mitochondria, liposomes and human erythrocyte plasma membranes. Free radicals were produced by addition of exogenous oxidants, and their reaction with chromanols and ubiquinone was followed by ESR and HPLC. Membranes were made deficient in ubiquinone but sufficient in alpha-tocopherol and were reconstituted with added ubiquinone. With these membrane preparations it was shown that (i) in the inner mitochondrial membranes there is a requirements for ubiquinone in the enzymatic recycling of vitamin E; (ii) succinate-ubiquinone reductase incorporated in liposomes cannot protect vitamin E in the absence of ubiquinone and (iii) in human erythrocyte plasma membranes protection against the loss of vitamin E can be provided by NADH-cytochrome-b5-dependent enzymatic recycling. We conclude that ubiquinonols (ubisemiquinones) reduce vitamin E through electron transport.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Effects of natural antioxidant ginkgo biloba extract (EGB 761) on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Recently, it was reported that Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761), which is known to have antioxidant properties, also has antiarrhythmic effects on cardiac reperfusion-induced arrhythmias. In the present study, effects of EGb 761 on cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury were investigated from the point of view of recovery of mechanical function as well as the endogenous antioxidant status of ascorbate. Isolated rat hearts were perfused using the Langendorff technique, and 40 min of global ischemia were followed by 20 min of reperfusion. EGb 761 improved cardiac mechanical recovery and suppressed the leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) during reperfusion. Furthermore, EGb 761 diminished the decrease of myocardial ascorbate content after 40 min of ischemia and 20 min of reperfusion. Interestingly, EGb 761 also suppressed the increase of dehydroascorbate. These results indicate that EGb 761 protects against cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury and suggest that the protective effects of EGb 761 depend on its antioxidant properties.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1994

Enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants in epidermis and dermis of human skin.

We measured enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants in human epidermis and dermis from six healthy volunteers undergoing surgical procedures. Epidermis was separated from dermis by curettage and antioxidants were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or standard spectrophotometric methods. The concentration of every antioxidant (referenced to skin wet weight) was higher in the epidermis than in the dermis. Among the enzymic antioxidants, the activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase were higher in the epidermis compared to the dermis by 126, 61 and 215%, respectively. Catalase activity in particular was much higher (720%) in the epidermis. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and isocitrate dehydrogenase, which provide reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), also showed higher activity in the epidermis than the dermis by 111% and 313%, respectively. Among the lipophilic antioxidants, the concentration of alpha-tocopherol was higher in the epidermis than the dermis by 90%. The concentration of ubiquinol 10 was especially higher in the epidermis, by 900%. Among the hydrophilic antioxidants, concentrations of ascorbic acid and uric acid were also higher in the epidermis than in the dermis by 425 and 488%, respectively. Reduced glutathione and total glutathione were higher in the epidermis than in the dermis by 513 and 471%. Thus the antioxidant capacity of the human epidermis is far greater than that of dermis. As the epidermis composes the outermost 10% of the skin and acts as the initial barrier to oxidant assault, it is perhaps not surprising that it has higher levels of antioxidants.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Dose-response effects of acute ultraviolet irradiation on antioxidants and molecular markers of oxidation in murine epidermis and dermis.

There has not as yet been an integrated, comprehensive study of the responses of dermis and epidermis in vivo to a wide range of ultraviolet (UV) doses, encompassing all major antioxidants and a sensitive marker of oxidative damage. We have irradiated hairless mice with simulated solar light at doses of 2, 5, 12.5, and 25 J/cm2 combined UVA and UVB (0.8 to 10 MED) and measured enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants as well as lipid hydroperoxides in both epidermis and dermis to elucidate the response of cutaneous antioxidant defense mechanisms to UV stress. Among the nonenzymic antioxidants two different dose-response patterns were seen. Ascorbate was rapidly depleted at doses between 0 and 5 J/cm2 but was less affected between 5 and 25 J/cm2. In contrast, glutathione, ubiquinol/one, and alpha-tocopherol levels remained approximately equal to control levels between 0 and 5 J/cm2, then decreased to varying degrees from 5 to 25 J/cm2; ubiquinol was almost completely depleted, whereas alpha-tocopherol dropped only 30%. The concentration of lipid hydroperoxides increased throughout the dose range. These results may be explained partly by direct destruction of some antioxidants by UV light, partly by the separate antioxidant functions of the compounds, and partly by recycling of some antioxidants (e.g., alpha-tocopherol) at the expense of others (e.g., ubiquinol). Even at the lowest dose (0.8 MED) lipid hydroperoxide formation was observed. Among the enzymic antioxidants, superoxide dismutase activity decreased significantly (to 63.6% of initial activity for epidermis and 51.5% for dermis at 25 J), whereas activities of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase decreased slightly. Catalase activity decreased dramatically at doses above 5 J (to 11.8% of initial activity in epidermis and 27.7% in dermis at 25 J). The dramatic loss of catalase is almost entirely accounted for by direct destruction by the simulated solar light, but superoxide dismutase was unaffected by direct exposure; hence its destruction must be due to indirect effects, either mediated by free radicals or other harmful species formed upon irradiation. At low doses of UV light many components of the cutaneous antioxidant system were damaged, whereas at high doses all components were damaged and some were almost completely destroyed.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Effect of age on antioxidants and molecular markers of oxidative damage in murine epidermis and dermis.

This is the first study of antioxidants and oxidative-damage-related parameters in epidermis and dermis of the skin as a function of age. The four major antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase), hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants, and lipid hydroperoxides were assayed in both epidermis and dermis of young and old hairless mice. Catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione reductase had similar activity levels in young and old animals. Only glutathione peroxidase from epidermis showed an activity decrease due to age. This decrease became apparent when enzyme activity was expressed per mg of total cellular protein. Hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants did not change as a function of age, nor did lipid hydroperoxide levels. Both the absolute level of oxidized glutathione and the ratio of oxidized to reduced glutathione were higher in dermis from old mice. These results suggest that skin aging is not accelerated in old age due to a general decrease in the antioxidant capacity of the tissue. The data are compatible, however, with the idea that continuous damage to skin tissue by free radicals occurs throughout an organism's lifetime because scavenging cannot be 100% efficient.

Aging↗
PubMed1994

Nitecapone: a nitric oxide radical scavenger.

Nitecapone [3-(3,4-dihydroxy-5-nitrobenzylidene)-2,4-pentanedione], is a scavenger of nitric oxide produced in vitro. It reduced the rate of methemoglobin formation from oxyhemoglobin exposed to nitric oxide generated from the reaction of hydroxylamine with Complex I of catalase and it decreased the amount of nitrite formed in the reaction of oxygen with nitric oxide generated from sodium nitroprusside. Nitecapone also affected the L-arginine dependent accumulation of nitrite in a suspension of peritoneal rat neutrophils. The related compounds entacapone [2-cyano-N, N-diethyl-3-(3,4 dihydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl)-propenamide] and OR 1246 [3-(3,4-dihydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl)-2,4-pentanedione] were also able to scavenge nitric oxide. The action of nitecapone on nitric oxide expands the role of nitecapone as a scavenger of reactive oxygen species, and suggests nitecapone, entacapone and OR 1246 as potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of diseases connected with increased production of nitric oxide.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegeneration.

In the last 4 years much progress has been made in the understanding of mitochondrial disorders. Point-mutations, deletions and depletion of the mitochondrial genome are associated with disorders like Leber's disease, MERRF (Myoclonus Epilepsia with Ragged Red Fibers), MELAS (mitochondrial Myopathy, Encephalopathy, Lactic acidosis and Stroke-like episodes) and several others. Recently, mitochondrial dysfunctions have been also related to neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's disease and to aging. Since the brain depends mostly on mitochondrial energy supply, mitochondrial dysfunctions may affect the nervous system more severely than other tissues causing or worsening diseases and playing a role in the biological deterioration of aging. Furthermore, the mitochondrial energy supply is associated with the production of highly reactive oxygen species. Ninety-five percent of the molecular oxygen is metabolized within the mitochondria by the electron-transport chain so that mitochondria are highly exposed to oxidative stress which may damage selected neuronal populations. Oxygen radicals created during respiration induce mitochondrial dysfunction which accelerates the production of more deleterious species of oxygen. The latter step further increases mitochondrial malfunction, thus intensifying and perpetuating the cycle. These two mechanisms combined may lead to cell death in brain and other tissues with high metabolic rate. Therefore, in neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress may cause or worsen the clinical features.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed1994

Recovery of antioxidants and reduction in lipid hydroperoxides in murine epidermis and dermis after acute ultraviolet radiation exposure.

In previous studies we have found that a single acute dose of ultraviolet radiation to murine skin causes a large degree of destruction of enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants immediately after irradiation. In the present study, we wished to elucidate the recovery of antioxidants after a single dose of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. We measured antioxidants and lipid hydroperoxides (as a marker of membrane damage) in murine epidermis and the dermis at 0, 3, 12, 24, 72 and 120 h after exposure to UV radiation (25 J/cm2, UVA+UVB). Lipid hydroperoxides showed the highest values immediately after UV exposure and returned to control values within 24 h in both epidermis and dermis. The activities of catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase showed the lowest activities immediately after UV exposure; superoxide dismutase activities reached a minimum at 3 h postexposure. The pattern of recovery was different for each enzyme and for epidermis and dermis. The activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase decreased remarkably and recovered slowly. Superoxide dismutase in the dermis recovered full activity by 120 h and in the epidermis by 12 h. Catalase activity in both epidermis and dermis had returned to only 50% of control activity at 120 h, although the epidermis showed a temporary increase (to 93%) at 24 h. Glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase were slightly decreased immediately after irradiation, recovered to 100% at 3 h and then increased to 200-250% in both the epidermis and the dermis at various times; values had returned to 100% in epidermis by 120 h but remained elevated in dermis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1994

alpha-Lipoic acid protects against hemolysis of human erythrocytes induced by peroxyl radicals.

The azo initiator of peroxyl radicals 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) induces oxidative hemolysis in human erythrocytes and subsequent hemoglobin oxidation. Using the degree of hemolysis versus time as an indication of the oxidative damage it was found that i) both reduced and oxidized alpha-lipoic acid protected against oxidative damage; ii) simultaneous treatment of erythrocytes with ascorbate and dihydrolipoate or alpha-lipoate has a synergistic tendency to protect cells against hemolysis; iii) glutathione in combination with dihydrolipoic acid or alpha-lipoic acid has an additive effect on hemolysis protection. The spin trapping reagent 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) formed an adduct with the peroxyl/alkoxyl radicals produced by thermal decomposition of AAPH in the presence of oxygen. The formation of this adduct was prevented by reduced or oxidized lipoic acid, reduced glutathione or ascorbate. It is concluded that AAPH-peroxyl radicals progressively damage the cells and the released hemoglobin is subsequently oxidized to methemoglobin which might further enhance the oxidative damage. The protective effect of antioxidants is exerted outside the cells by directly scavenging AAPH-alkoxyl radicals.

Amidines↗
PubMed1994

NMR study of lipoic acid binding to bovine serum albumin.

Evidence for the binding of lipoic (LA) and dihydrolipoic (DHLA) acid to bovine serum albumin (BSA) was sought as a feature for understanding the mechanism of their antioxidant activity and prevention of glycation. Experiments were performed by 1H high resolution NMR. The average binding ratio of LA, DHLA and tetranor LA to BSA were 10 +/- 2, 7.9 +/- 2 and 1.8 +/- 0.4 mol/mol BSA respectively. In this row the number of bound molecules lessens with the decrease of their hydrophobic interactions that correlates with their protective activity. Octanoic acid, the closest analog of lipoate, had a binding ratio of 4.7 +/- 0.5 mol. Lipoic acid was able to replace bound octanoic acid which points out that lipoate occupies the same binding site on BSA. Lipoate had no binding to low density lipoproteins extracted from human plasma which corresponds to its low protection of LDL against glycosylation and oxidative modification. This study indicates that lipoic acid molecules experience strong hydrophobic attraction and binding to BSA which is important part of lipoate protective mechanism.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Inhibition of NF-kappa B transcription factor by catechol derivatives.

Therapeutic agents which target NF-kappa B transcription factor may be useful in the management of AIDS, cancer and inflammation. Since oxidative stress has been implicated in the signaling pathway, the use of antioxidants to inhibit NF-kappa B activation has gained attention. In the present study, we examined the effects of catechol derivatives, nitecapone and OR-1246, which have been identified to possess potent antioxidant properties, on NF-kappa B activation by monitoring its DNA binding activity. Both nitecapone and OR-1246 (10-300 microM) inhibited NF-kappa B activation induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha in Jurkat T (acute human leukemia) cells. Nitecapone was a better inhibitor than OR-1246. The observed effects may, at least in part, be due to the ability of the two compounds to directly inhibit DNA binding activity of activated NF-kappa B. The inhibitory capability of OR-1246 on NF-kappa B DNA binding does not appear to be a sole mechanism, as it did not inhibit NF-kappa B activation induced by okadaic acid. Hence, catechol derivatives inhibit NF-kappa B transcription factor through multiple mechanisms, and nitecapone and OR-1246 may be useful as therapeutic agents targeting NF-kappa B.

Antioxidants↗