Role of vitamin E in glutathione-induced oxidant stress: methemoglobin, lipid peroxidation, and hemolysis

The pyrogallol assay for superoxide dismutase: absence of a glutathione artifact

Reduced glutathione was found to affect the assay for superoxide dismutase when autooxidation of epinephrine, but not pyrogallol, was used as the indicator. Glutathione concentrations in the micromolar range, which correspond to levels in erythrocyte extracts, were capable of perturbing the epinephrine assay method and causing overestimation of enzyme content. The pyrogallol method was not significantly affected by large excesses of glutathione and appears to be a superior method for tissue extracts likely to be rich in glutathione.

Effects of antiperoxidants on FeCl2-induced lipid peroxidation and focal edema in rat brain

Head trauma with contusion or cortical laceration and hemorrhage causes focal edema with encephalomalacia and gliosis. Because cerebral hemorrhage ultimately results in deposition of heme compounds and iron into the neuropil, we injected an aqueous solution of iron salts to simulate the decompartmentalization of iron after trauma. We pretreated animals with saline or with 600 mg/kg alpha-tocopherol plus 5 ppm selenium added to the drinking water. Formation of lipid peroxidation products was significantly inhibited within the iron injection site in the antiperoxidant-pretreated rats at 30, 60, and 120 min after injection of iron into the isocortex. The antiperoxidants failed to prevent formation of focal brain edema at the injection site between 1 and 8 h after injection; however, significantly less edema was present in the alpha-tocopherol + selenium-pretreated animals 24 and 48 h after injection. The efficacy of antiperoxidants in preventing lipid peroxidation, and enhancing the resolution of ferrous-induced focal brain edema suggest that tocopherol + selenium administration caused free radical quenching and termination of lipid peroxidation, and increased membrane stabilization, an effect similar to the action of glucocorticoids.

Effect of factors of favism on the protein and lipid components of rat erythrocyte membrane

Erythrocytes prepared from riboflavin- and tocopherol-deficient (RT-) and from control rats were used to investigate the mechanism of oxidative hemolysis by the factors of favism. RT- erythrocytes have a defense system against the oxidative stress which is blocked either where regeneration of GSH occurs or the scavenging of the radicals from the membrane is prevented. The oxidative factors used were isouramil, divicine and diamide. When RT- erythrocytes were treated with isouramil, GSH decreased to undetectable levels and was not regenerated. Complete hemolysis occurred, but no oxidation of SH groups of membrane proteins or formation of spectrin polymers was detected. A similar effect was observed with diamide. However, SH groups of membrane proteins were completely oxidized and spectrin polymers were formed. Extensive lipid peroxidation was also detected together with a 30% fall in the arachidonic acid level. Control erythrocytes treated with either isouramil or diamide were not hemolyzed. When treated with isouramil, after a fall in the first few minutes, the GSH level was completely regenerated after 20 min. Incubation with diamide caused extensive oxidation of SH groups of membrane proteins and formation of spectrin polymers. No lipid peroxidation was detected after treatment with isouramil, but the same decrease of arachidonic acid occurred as in RT- erythrocytes. These results support the hypothesis that oxidative hemolysis by the factors of favism is caused by uncontrolled peroxidation of membrane lipids.

The chemistry of favism-inducing compounds. The properties of isouramil and divicine and their reaction with glutathione

Isouramil and divicine are pyrimidine aglycones of two glucosides found in broad beans. They have been shown to be strong reducing agents. Their reaction with oxygen in a (gas) saturated solution, 26 degrees C, is characterized by tau 1/2 = 1 min and 3 min respectively. Hydrogen peroxide is formed in this reaction stoichiometrically (1:1). The pyrimidines lose two hydrogen and form an intermediate that is structurally analogues to alloxan. This intermediate is not stable, and in the absence of reducing agents it decomposes, possibly by ring-cleavage. In the presence of reduced glutathione the intermediate is reduced and can now react with oxygen once again. Thus, the pyrimidines cycle between the two states and the net reaction is the catalytic oxidation of glutathione by molecular oxygen; in each cycle 4 molecules of glutathione are dissipated. The possible involvement of these pyrimidines in the pathogenesis of favism may be in a similar mechanism. Red blood cells deficient in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase cannot cope with such an oxidative challenge exerted by the pyrimidines. Consequently an irreversible cellular damage can take place leading to the enhanced sequestration of these red blood cells by the reticuloendothelial system.

Vitamin E deficiency due to increased consumption in beta-thalassemia and in Gaucher's disease

Plasma vitamin E levels were found to be decreased (less than 0.5 mg) in thalassemia and in 17 out of 20 patients with Gaucher's disease, where the levels were two standard deviations below the normal mean value. In the latter, the decrease in vitamin E levels correlated with the severity of the clinical expression of the disease and correlated inversely with the degree of hepatosplenomegaly and serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity. In both diseases, there was no evidence for intestinal malabsorption of the lipid-soluble vitamin. In spite of the different etiology, pathophysiology, and clinical expression, severe vitamin E deficiency could result in both diseases by a common mechanism. In thalassemia, rapid consumption of vitamin E occurs while neutralizing oxidative damage in the pathological erythrocyte membranes and in other tissues. In Gaucher's disease, lysosomal accumulation of glucocerebroside may stimulate phagocytes into a maintained "respiratory burst" with excessive production of oxygen free radicals, resulting in increased utilization and eventual deficiency of vitamin E. Efficacy of antioxidant therapy was evaluated by administration of vitamin E with and without canthaxanthin, which has similar antioxidant properties to beta-carotene, to patients with beta-thalassemia. The results showed increased serum vitamin E levels and a decrease in the extent of erythrocyte lipid membrane peroxidation, while no significant changes occurred in hemoglobin levels and in transfusion requirements.

Autoxidation of phosphatidylcholine liposomes

Autoxidation of pure soybean phosphatidylcholine liposomes at 40 C was found to proceed without an observed induction period, but otherwise, the rates of disappearance of the linoleic acid (70% of total) and linolenic acid (6% of total) followed typical autocatalytic kinetics. Incorporation of 0.05 mol % of tocopherol into the liposomes produced an induction period of about 7 hr under the condition used for the incubation. The products formed from the autoxidation of pure soybean phosphatidylcholine liposomes were mostly 9- and 13-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoates (isolated as hydroxy esters). The yield of hydroperoxides with cis,trans configuration was about the same as those with trans,trans configuration throughout incubation period. After extensive autoxidation, a large quantity of trihydroxyoctadecenoate was also produced. When a large quantity of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine was incorporated into soybean phosphatidylcholine liposomes, the rate of autoxidation decreased and was found to conform to apparent first-order kinetics. In this system, the yield of trans,trans hydroperoxides was much greater than that of cis,trans isomers at all stages of autoxidation. Late in the autoxidation of the mixed liposomes, both trihydroxyoctadecenoate and hydroxyepoxyoctadecenoate were produced in substantial quantities.

Copper(II)-catalyzed lipid peroxidation in liposomes and erythrocyte membranes

Cu++ was uniquely capable of catalyzing the peroxidation of rat erythrocyte membrane lipid in the presence of 10 mM H2O2, whereas several other transition metal ions were without significant effect. In contrast, peroxidation of soybean phospholipid liposomes could be catalyzed with decreasing efficiency by Co++, Cu++, Pb++, or Cr+++ also in the presence of H2O2. The effect of imidazole on Cu++- catalyzed lipid peroxidation was stimulatory in liposomes and inhibitory in membrane preparations, whereas EDTA, histidine, citrate and alanine inhibited peroxidation in both systems. EDTA could stop the peroxidation after initiation, but catalase could not, indicating that Cu++ alone was necessary for the propagation of the chain reaction. Competitive inhibition studies with various scavengers of hydroxyl radicals or singlet oxygen and the absence of significant reaction enhancement by D2O indicated that neither of these reactive oxygen species was a major mediator in the Cu++-H2O2 oxidative system. A copper-oxygen complex may be directly involved in the initiation of peroxidation. Normal erythrocyte membranes and phospholipid liposomes also differ in their sensitivities toward external oxidative stress. In the absence of H2O2, CU++ (0.2 mM) was capable of catalyzing lipid peroxidation in liposomes, aged erythrocyte membranes and membranes from vitamin-E-deficient rats; however, freshly prepared membranes from control rats and liposomes containing alpha-tocopherol required H2O2 greater than 2 mM for the catalytic effect of Cu++ to be observed.

Effect of .OH scavengers on radiation damage to the erythrocyte membrane

Thiourea, and .OH scavenger, reduced the gamma-radiation-induced changes in the rigidity of erythrocyte membrane lipids, the state of membrane proteins, and lipid peroxidation. Several .OH scavengers, but not superoxide dismutase, also inhibited the radiation-induced acceleration of the transport of a hydrophilic non-electrolyte spin label TEMPOL across the erythrocyte membrane. The effects of scavengers were usually biphasic with a maximum of the protective effect. Higher concentrations of the scavengers were less effective, as in the case of radioprotection of erythrocytes to haemolysis studied previously.

Reduced chronic hemolysis during high-dose vitamin E administration in Mediterranean-type glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency

The observation that high-dose oral vitamin E supplementation (800 IU per day) improved red-cell survival in two rare disorders associated with increased red-cell susceptibility to oxidative stress prompted a similar trial in 23 patients with Mediterranean glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. Three months of vitamin E administration resulted in decreased chronic hemolysis as evidenced by improved red-cell life span (P less than 0.025), with an improvement in red-cell half-life from 22.9 +/- 0.7 days to 25.1 +/- 0.6 days (mean +/- S.E.M.), increased hemoglobin concentration (P less than 0.001), and decreased reticulocytosis (P less than 0.001) as compared with base-line values. Evaluation after one year of vitamin E administration demonstrated sustained improvement in all these indexes. Controlled clinical trials of vitamin E supplementation may be warranted to examine its efficacy in ameliorating acute hemolytic crises or in reducing morbidity from neonatal jaundice in this relatively common genetic disorder.

Role of hydroxyl radicals in microsomal oxidation of alcohols

A series of hydroxyl radical (.OH) scavenging agents competitively inhibited microsomal oxidation of ethanol and 1-butanol. The inhibition by the scavengers was specific since these agents had no effect on catalase-dependent oxidation of ethanol, microsomal drug metabolism or microsomal electron transfer. Chemical evidence for production of .OH during microsomal electron transfer was provided by the generation of appropriate products from .OH scavenging agents. H2O2 was shown to play a role as a precursor of .OH. Fe-EDTA increased microsomal oxidation of ethanol without affecting drug metabolism. A role for cytochrome P-450 in catalyzing . OH generation remains to be evaluated. These results suggest that the molecular mechanism underlying the oxidation of ethanol by liver microsomes reflects the ability of ethanol to interact with .OH generated from microsomal electron transfer.

A spin-label study of the effect of gamma radiation on erythrocyte membrane. Influence of lipid peroxidation on membrane structure

Gamma-irradiation of bovine erythrocyte membranes (0.1-4 Mrad) resulted in a decrease in the degree of order of membrane lipids, as measured by spin-labelled fatty acid esters, at the depth of C12 but not at the depth of C5. Dose dependence of this phenomenon corresponded to dose dependence of malondialdehyde formation in the membranes. On this basis a mechanism for the effect of lipid peroxidation on the membrance structure is proposed. Membrane proteins underwent radiation-induced conformational transitions revealed by maleimide spin label which could be also connected with lipid peroxidation.

Chemical evidence for production of hydroxyl radicals during microsomal electron transfer

Rat liver microsomes generate methane from dimethyl sulfoxide and ethylene from either methional or 2-keto-4-thiomethylbutyric acid during electron transfer initiated by reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). Hydrocarbon gas production is suppressed by hydroxyl radical scavenging agents. Azide, an inhibitor of catalase, augments the production of hydrocarbon gases. These observations constitute chemical evidence for the generation of hydroxyl radicals by microsomes.

Effect of low and high methional concentrations on prostaglandin biosynthesis in microsomes from bovine and sheep vesicular glands

The effect of methional on prostaglandin biosynthesis from 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid was studied with microsomes from both bovine vesicular glands (BVG) and sheep vesicular glands (SVG). Ethylene was identified when methional was added to the fatty acid-microsome incubation systems showing that oxygen centered radicals such as hydroxyl radical were generated during incubation. A low methional level, 1 mM, enhanced the rate of prostaglandin biosynthesis in both BVG and SVG. A high methional level, 10 mM, inhibited prostaglandin biosynthesis in both BVG alone and SVG solubilized with 1% Tween 20. The inhibitory effect of 10 mM methional was reversed by lyophilization. These data suggest that oxygen centered radicals are used in prostaglandin biosynthesis even though they inactivate the enzyme complex.