QUENCHING OF SINGLET OXYGEN

A kinetic study on singlet molecular oxygen (O2(1Δg)) generation and quenching by dihydroxynaphthalenes

A kinetic study on the aerobic (O2(1Δg)-mediated) photooxidation of a series of dihydroxynaphthalenes was carried out. Members of this family of compounds include important environmental contaminants. The interaction with O2(1Δg), determined by both time-resolved phosphorescence and static methods, yields a quenching rate constant in the range of 105–109 M−1 s−1, depending on the solvent polarity, pH, and substitution pattern of the dihydroxynaphthalene. According to experimental evidence, the mechanism of the interaction seems to be mediated by an encounter complex with a considerable charge transfer component. From a mechanistic point of view this characteristic of DHN indicates a behaviour very similar to that of simple substituted phenols and dihydroxybenzenes. Quantum yields for DHN photooxidation (Φr) indicate that these substrates are excellent candidates for O2(1Δg)-mediated degradation under environment conditions. Furthermore, these compounds proved to be good self-sensitizers upon irradiation at 337 nm. Quantum yields (ΦΔ) for the production of O2(1Δg) were determined to be on the order of 0.25 in benzene. Key words: dihydroxynaphthalenes, photooxidation, quenching, sensitization.not available

Chilling-enhanced photooxidation: The production, action and study of reactive oxygen species produced during chilling in the light

Chilling-enhanced photooxidation is the light- and oxygen-dependent bleaching of photosynthetic pigments that occurs upon the exposure of chilling-sensitive plants to temperatures below approximately 10 °C. The oxidants responsible for the bleaching are the reactive oxygen species (ROS) singlet oxygen ((1)O2), superoxide anion radical (O 2 (∸) ,hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), the hydroxyl radical (OH·), and the monodehydroascorbate radical (MDA) which are generated by a leakage of absorbed light energy from the photosynthetic electron transport chain. Cold temperatures slow the energy-consuming Calvin-Benson Cycle enzymes more than the energy-transducing light reactions, thus causing leakage of energy to oxygen. ROS and MDA are removed, in part, by the action of antioxidant enzymes of the Halliwell/Foyer/Asada Cycle. Chloroplasts also contain high levels of both lipid- and water-soluble antioxidants that act alone or in concert with the HFA Cycle enzymes to scavenge ROS. The ability of chilling-resistant plants to maintain active HFA Cycle enzymes and adequate levels of antioxidants in the cold and light contributes to their ability to resist chilling-enhanced photooxidation. The absence of this ability in chilling-sensitive species makes them susceptible to chilling-enhanced photooxidation. Chloroplasts may reduce the generation of ROS by dissipating the absorbed energy through a number of quenching mechanisms involving zeaxanthin formation, state changes and the increased usage of reducing equivalents by other anabolic pathways found in the stroma. During chilling in the light, ROS produced in chilling-sensitive plants lower the redox potential of the chloroplast stroma to such a degree that reductively-activated regulatory enzymes of the Calvin Cycle, sedohepulose 1,7 bisphosphatase (EC 3.1.3.37) and fructose 1,6 bisphosphatase (EC 3.1.3.11), are oxidatively inhibited. This inhibition is reversible in vitro with a DTT treatment indicating that the enzymes themselves are not permanently damaged. The inhibition of SBPase and FBPase may fully explain the inhibition in whole leaf gas exchange seen upon the rewarming of chilling-sensitive plants chilled in the light. Methods for the study of ROS in chilling-enhanced photooxidation and challenges for the future are discussed.

UVA-induced peroxidation of lipid in the dried film state

Exposure of a dried lipid thin film to UVA produced a dose-dependent linear increase in the three peroxidation products, conjugated diene, lipid hydroperoxide and malondialdehyde (MDA). All three lipid peroxidation products exhibited an inverse dose rate effect. Identical amounts of malondialdehyde were produced when the lipid film was exposed to UVA either directly or through the thickness of the Corning glass on which the film was cast. Antioxidants, alpha-tocopherol, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and the singlet oxygen quencher beta-carotene significantly inhibited the UVA-induced peroxidation of the lipid film. The biological implications of the UVA-induced peroxidation of the dried lipid film are discussed.

Influence of the peptide bond on the singlet molecular oxygen-mediated (O2[1 delta g]) photooxidation of histidine and methionine dipeptides. A kinetic study

The dye-sensitized photooxidation of L-histidine (His) and L-methionine (Met) and their simplest dipeptides with glycine (Gly) (His-Gly, Gly-His Gly-Met) and Met-methyl ester (Met-ME) mediated by singlet molecular oxygen (O2[1 delta g]) was studied. The overall rate constants in acetonitrile-H2O (kt) for O2(1 delta g) quenching were measured by time-resolved phosphorescence detection. In H2O a competitive kinetic method was employed. In both solvents the reactive rate constants (kr) were determined to discriminate between the overall and physical contributions to the quenching. The kinetic and mechanistic aspects of the interaction are discussed. For His-Gly, the peptide bond has practically no effect on the kinetics of photooxidation. For Gly-His the overall rate constant is much higher than that for His and His-Gly, in both H2O and acetonitrile-H2O. The main contribution to kt (for Gly-His) is the physical quenching of O2(1 delta g). In water the kt/kr ratio for free His and His-Gly is 1.0, reaching a value of 2.0 in the organic solvent-H2O mixture. The rates of -NH2 loss upon sensitized photooxidation in all cases parallel the trend of kr values. The main results for the His series indicate that: (1) a polar environment favors autoprotection (i.e. an increase in the contribution of physical quenching) against photodynamic effects; (2) only the rate constant for reactive interaction with O2(1 delta g) does not depend on the location of the peptide bond involving His. For Met derivatives the kt values are higher in both solvents than that for free Met.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Quenching of singlet molecular oxygen by phthalocyanines and naphthalocyanines

Using the direct measurement of the photosensitized luminescence of singlet molecular oxygen (1O2) the rate constants (kq) have been determined for 1O2 quenching by the monomeric molecules of the following phthalocyanines and naphthalocyanines in chloroform: tetra-(4-tert-butyl) phthalocyanine (I); octa-(3,6-butoxy) phthalocyanine (II), tetra-(6-tert-butyl)-2,3 naphthalocyanine (III), aluminium tetra-(1-tert-phenyl)-2,3 naphthalocyanine (IV), tri-(n-hexyl-siloxy) derivatives of silicon- (V), tin- (VI), aluminium- (VII) and gallium- (VIII) 2,3 naphthalocyanine. The following kq values were obtained (kq x 10(-8) M-1 s-1): 2.9 (I), 59 (II), 100 (III), 20 (IV), 3.9 (V), 53 (VI), 33 (VII), 110 (VIII). As most of the quenchers have the low-lying triplet levels, a contribution of the quenching mechanism based on the energy transfer from 1O2 to these levels has been analysed. A formula is proposed describing the relation between kq values caused by this mechanism, and photophysical constants of the quencher triplet state. This formula was applied to phthalocyanines, naphthalocyanines, beta-carotene and bacterochlorophyll a. The data suggest that the energy transfer can fully explain the activity of V and strongly contributes into the activities of II, III and VI-VIII. A charge transfer interaction might be an additional mechanism involved in 1O2 quenching by compounds studied. As some phthalocyanines and naphthalocyanines are strong physical quenchers of singlet oxygen they can be used as efficient inhibitors for photodestructive processes in photochemical systems.

Cell surface redox potential as a mechanism of defense against photosensitizers in fungi

The phytotoxin cercosporin, a singlet oxygen-generating photosensitizer, is toxic to plants, mice, and many fungi, yet the fungi that produce it, Cercospora spp., are resistant. We hypothesize that resistance to cercosporin may result from a reducing environment at the cell surface. Twenty tetrazolium dyes differing in redox potential were used as indicators of cell surface redox potential of seven fungal species differing in resistance to cercosporin. Resistant fungi were able to reduce significantly more dyes than were sensitive fungi. A correlation between dye reduction and cercosporin resistance was also observed when resistance levels of Cercospora species were manipulated by growth on different media. The addition of the reducing agents ascorbate, cysteine, and reduced glutathione (GSH) to growth media decreased cercosporin toxicity for sensitive fungi. None of these agents directly reduced cercosporin at the concentrations at which they protected fungi. Spectral and thin-layer chromatographic analyses of cercosporin solutions containing the different reducing agents indicated that GSH, but not cysteine or ascorbate, reacted with cercosporin. Resistant and sensitive fungi did not differ in endogenous levels of cysteine, GSH, or total thiols. On the basis of data from this and other studies, this report presents a model which proposes that cercosporin resistance results from the production of reducing power at the surfaces of resistant cells, leading to transient reduction and detoxification of the cercosporin molecule.

The singlet oxygen and carotenoid interaction

Second-order rate constants kQ for the quenching of O2(1 delta g) by carotenoids were determined at room temperature in benzene and toluene using the technique of time-resolved luminescence. Of the C40 pigments studied, lycopene was found to be the most efficient quencher, but the increased efficiency compared with all-trans beta-carotene was less than previously reported. The efficiency of quenching of O2(1 delta g) was extended to a number of solvents with varying viscosities. kQ was found to be inversely proportional to solvent viscosity, although the relationship is not simply linear. The results suggest the involvement of thermodynamic factors. The efficiency of deactivation of O2(1 delta g) was found to increase with the number of conjugated carbon-carbon double bonds, i.e. kQ(C60) greater than kQ(C50) greater than kQ(C40). A number of xanthophylls were included in this study; it would appear that an epoxide group rather than carbonyl or hydroxyl substituents increase the reactivity of the carotenoid with respect to O2(1 delta g).

Measurement of rate constants for quenching singlet oxygen with a Cypridina luciferin analog (2-methyl-6-[p-methoxyphenyl]-3,7-dihydroimidazo [1,2-a]pyrazin-3-one) and sodium azide

The rate constants for [1O2] [MCLA] and [1O2] [NaN3] were measured by quenching the near-infrared emission (1 delta g----3 sigma g) in steady state with MCLA and NaN3, respectively. 1O2 was constantly generated by energy transfer to O2 from Ar laser-excited Rose Bengal. The Stern-Volmer plots yielded the second-order rate constants of 2.94 x 10(9) M-1 S-1 and 3.83 x 10(8) M-1 S-1 for quenching 1O2 with MCLA and NaN3 in water at pH 5.4, respectively. The 1O2 + MCLA reaction emitted light with maximum at 465 nm at pD 4.5 identical to the O(2-) + MCLA reaction.

Dye-induced photopermeabilization and photodegeneration: a lesion technique useful for neuronal tracing

Using as a neural system the fly retina, which is visually accessible in vivo, we describe a lesion technique that takes advantage of the photodynamic damage produced by extrinsic dyes. Contrary to the photo-inactivation technique described by Miller and Selverston (1979), this technique does not involve intracellular injection, since the dye is applied to the extracellular space of the tissue. This treatment was found to trigger neuronal degeneration and cell permeabilization in fly photoreceptor neurones. We coined the names 'photodegeneration' and 'photopermeabilization' for these two phenomena. While the technique can be used to delete given neurones from the neural circuit after several days' survival time, it was found to produce adequate cytoplasmic labelling for anatomical studies with both light and electron microscopy. Since the area occupied by the degenerating cells is restricted to the light spot imaged onto the nervous tissue, the resolution with this lesion technique can range from single cells to whole neuronal populations. The remarkable precision of the 'photolesions' produced in this way makes this technique a powerful tool for physiological and anatomical investigations on real neural networks, whenever these can be made optically accessible in vivo or in situ.

Influence of dietary fats and vitamin E on plasma and hepatic vitamin A and beta-carotene levels in rats fed excess beta-carotene

Effects of different dietary lipids and excess vitamin E on plasma and hepatic concentrations of beta-carotene were evaluated in rats fed diets containing a large excess (0.2%) of beta-carotene. Male weanling Wistar Kyoto rats were fed beta-carotene-supplemented diets containing various dietary lipids as follows: Group I, a saturated fat (coconut oil); Group II, a monounsaturated fat (olive oil); Group III, a polyunsaturated fat rich in omega-6 fatty acids (safflower oil); Group IV, same as Group III plus vitamin E; and Group V, a polyunsaturated fat rich in omega-3 fatty acids (menhaden oil). All diets contained 2% safflower oil to provide sufficient amounts of linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid). Rats were killed after six weeks of feeding the various diets, and the concentrations of beta-carotene and vitamin A were determined in plasma and liver. Plasma vitamin A levels were not altered by any of the dietary lipids or by an excess of vitamin E. The concentrations of beta-carotene in plasma were the lowest in rats fed the diet containing menhaden oil. The feeding of the diet containing an excess of vitamin E also resulted in a significant decrease in plasma beta-carotene concentration. Similarly, the hepatic beta-carotene concentration was also reduced to about one-half in rats fed the diet containing an excess of vitamin E. Liver beta-carotene concentration was higher in Groups II and III than in the other three dietary groups. Hepatic vitamin A concentrations were also affected by the type of dietary fat.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effect of dietary lipids on hepatic and plasma beta-carotene and vitamin A levels in rats fed beta-carotene

Diets low in carotenoids have been associated with greater risks of developing certain cancers. Diets high in fats, especially unsaturated fats, have also been associated with increased risks of developing cancer. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of fat type on the beta-carotene status in a rat model. Rats were fed diets containing 2 g/kg beta-carotene or placebo and either 10% lard or corn oil for 13-16 weeks. Plasma vitamin A was unaffected by the dietary regimes. Liver vitamin A levels were significantly increased in the beta-carotene groups and were greater in the lard-fed animals. No detectable level of plasma beta-carotene was found in the rats fed placebo diets. In animals given dietary beta-carotene, plasma beta-carotene levels were significantly reduced in the group fed corn oil compared to the group fed lard. Liver beta-carotene levels were higher in the groups fed corn oil. The results suggest that the type of dietary fat can significantly affect the circulating and tissue levels of beta-carotene.

Singlet oxygen production by biological systems

Singlet oxygen (1 delta g) is a highly reactive, short-lived intermediate which readily oxidizes a variety of biological molecules. The biochemical production of singlet oxygen has been proposed to contribute to the destructive effects seen in a number of biological processes. Several model biochemical systems have been shown to produce singlet oxygen. These systems include the peroxidase-catalyzed oxidations of halide ions, the peroxidase-catalyzed oxidations of indole-3-acetic acid, the lipoxygenase-catalyzed oxidation of unsaturated long chain fatty acids and the bleomycin-catalyzed decomposition of hydroperoxides. Results from these model systems should not be uncritically extrapolated to living systems. Recently, however, an intact cell, the human eosinophil, was shown to generate detectable amounts of singlet oxygen. This result suggests that singlet oxygen may be shown to be a significant biochemical intermediate in a few biological processes.

Antioxidant functions of carotenoids

Carotenoid pigments, including hydrocarbons such as beta-carotene or xanthophylls such as lutein and zeaxanthin, are very widely distributed in nature, where they play an important role in protecting cells and organisms against the harmful effects of light, air, and sensitizer pigments. This process has been demonstrated in bacteria, algae, plants, animals, and even in humans in the light-sensitive disease, erythropoietic protoporphyria. The primary mechanism of action of this phenomenon appears to be the ability of carotenoids to quench excited sensitizer molecules as well as quench 1O2. In addition to this protection, and potentially of even greater biological importance, is the fact that carotenoids can also serve as antioxidants under conditions other than photosensitization. This review presents the data available indicating the extent of this important function. Antioxidant action can be documented in both enzymic and nonenzymic systems, and has been reported in subcellular, cellular, and animal studies. In fact, the many reports indicating that carotenoids may possess some anticarcinogenic properties may well be related to their ability to interact with and quench various radical species that can be generated within cells.

The safety of beta-carotene

Epidemiological studies have associated low dietary and/or plasma level of carotenoids with higher incidences of certain cancers. This evidence has led the National Cancer Institute to initiate more than a dozen prospective clinical trials in which supplements of beta-carotene alone, or in combination with other micronutrients, are being taken. In these trials, the beta-carotene supplements are given in the range of 15-50 mg/day. The safety of this level of intake is well documented. beta-Carotene has been successfully used to treat inherited photosensitivity diseases for more than 15 years at dosages of 180 mg/day or more, without any adverse effects other than hypercarotenemia. Toxicity studies in animals have shown that beta-carotene is not carcinogenic, mutagenic, embryotoxic, or teratogenic and does not cause hypervitaminosis A. In the few isolated reports of carotenoid-related toxicity, the findings are associated with very large intakes of foods containing beta-carotene, among other constituents, and have not been substantiated in individuals who have taken high doses of beta-carotene for several years.

Influence of breast-feeding on the restoration of the low serum concentration of vitamin E and beta-carotene in the newborn infant

Vitamin E and beta-carotene are two important natural antioxidants. However, the mean (+/- SD) serum concentrations of beta-carotene in the cord blood of term (17.9 +/- 4.4 micrograms/dl) and preterm (14.04 +/- 4.7 micrograms/dl) infants are one eighth the concentration in the maternal serum (131 +/- 43 micrograms/dl). Likewise the serum concentrations of vitamin E in the term (0.31 +/- 0.09 mg/dl) and preterm (0.29 +/- 0.08 mg/dl) infants are one-third the concentration in the maternal serum (0.97 +/- 0.16 mg/dl). Human breast milk, particularly colostrum, contains very high concentrations of both vitamin E (3.28 +/- 2.93 mg/dl) and beta-carotene (213 +/- 166 micrograms/dl). Thus the breast-fed, term infant attains serum levels of both vitamin E and beta-carotene comparable to those in the adult within 4 to 6 days of breast-feeding. This study shows that the seeming barrier in the fetus to access to the antioxidants vitamin E and beta-carotene, in rapidly corrected and the substances are replenished postnatally through breast-feeding. This study therefore alludes to the possible role of breast-feeding in providing for the infant's defense against oxygen toxicity.

Catalysis of singlet oxygen production in the reaction of hydrogen peroxide and hypochlorous acid by 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO)

The kinetics of the singlet oxygen production in the hydrogen peroxide plus hypochlorous acid reaction were studied by measuring the time course of the singlet oxygen emission at 1268 nm. The addition of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) increased the peak intensity of the chemiluminescence, but decreased its duration. The increased rate of singlet oxygen production likely accounts for the enhancement of singlet oxygen dimol emission reported in 1976 by Deneke and Krinsky (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 98, 3041-3042). This phenomenon was not seen when singlet oxygen was generated with the reaction of hypobromous acid and hydrogen peroxide. Thus, the enhancement of red chemiluminescence by DABCO should not be regarded as a general test for the production of singlet oxygen in complex biochemical systems.

The effect of cooling on the photodynamic action of hematoporphyrin derivative during interstitial phototherapy of solid tumors. 1983 Second-Place Resident Research Award: basic category

Hematoporphyrin derivative (HpD), a mixture of compounds chemically prepared from naturally occurring crude hematoporphyrin, is preferentially concentrated in neoplastic cells and produces red fluorescence when irradiated with blue-violet light. In addition, HpD exhibits other photodynamic properties, which, in the presence of oxygen and visible light, result in cytotoxicity. Preliminary reports indicate that early, superficial carcinomas of the upper aerodigestive tract and tracheobronchial tree can be localized and treated successfully with HpD phototherapy (HpD-PT), in which a fiberoptic bundle transmits laser light to the tumors. To assess this modality's potential for treating solid tumors, the cytotoxic effect of HpD-PT was measured in a murine tumor model. We specifically assessed the effect of cooling on the pure photodynamic action of HpD-PT. Adult female mice with typical mammary tumors received interstitial phototherapy 24 hours after HpD was given intraperitoneally. Light from an argon-dye laser was delivered through an optical fiber, along with simultaneous cooling from a cryosurgical probe, for 15 minutes. After being cooled with a cryosurgical probe, tumors were excised 48 hours after treatment and the necrotic area was measured. The results indicate that cooling enhances the tumoricidal action of HpD-PT.

Suicide Inactivation of Catechol 2,3-Dioxygenase from Pseudomonas putida mt-2 by 3-Halocatechols

The inactivation of catechol 2,3-dioxygenase from Pseudomonas putida mt-2 by 3-chloro- and 3-fluorocatechol and the iron-chelating agent Tiron (catechol-3,5-disulfonate) was studied. Whereas inactivation by Tiron is an oxygen-independent and mostly reversible process, inactivation by the 3-halocatechols was only observed in the presence of oxygen and was largely irreversible. The rate constants for inactivation ( K 2 ) were 1.62 × 10 −3 sec −1 for 3-chlorocatechol and 2.38 × 10 −3 sec −1 for 3-fluorocatechol. The inhibitor constants ( K i ) were 23 μM for 3-chlorocatechol and 17 μM for 3-fluorocatechol. The kinetic data for 3-fluorocatechol could only be obtained in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. Besides inactivated enzyme, some 2-hydroxyhexa-2,4-diendioic acid was formed from 3-chlorocatechol, suggesting 5-chloroformyl-2-hydroxypenta-2,4-dienoic acid as the actual suicide product of meta -cleavage. A side product of 3-fluorocatechol cleavage is a yellow compound with the spectral characteristics of a 2-hydroxy-6-oxohexa-2,4-dienoic acid indicating 1,6-cleavage. Rates of inactivation by 3-fluorocatechol were reduced in the presence of superoxide dismutase, catalase, formate, and mannitol, which implies that superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radical exhibit additional inactivation.

Analysis of the bimodal chemiluminescence pattern stimulated in human neutrophils by chemotactic factors

Chemotactic factors, which are important in attracting neutrophils to inflammatory sites, have also been shown to stimulate oxidative metabolism, resulting in increased chemiluminescence and release of superoxide anion (O2-). We observed a unique bimodal chemiluminescence pattern upon stimulation with either the complement-derived factor C5a or formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine. A sharp peak of activity occurred within 1 to 2 min, and a second more extended peak was seen between 3 and 6 min. Enhancement of both peaks occurred when the cells were pretreated with cytochalasin B. Expression of both peaks was found to be related to cell density, and expression of the second peak was not dependent upon extracellular metabolites released during the first peak. Cells preincubated in luminol and then thoroughly washed responded with only a single peak coincident with the second peak. Together these findings indicate that the first peak is extracellular in origin, whereas the second peak is cell associated. Studies with scavengers of oxygen intermediates and inhibitors of myeloperoxidase for the oxidation of luminol, which may occur in part through the formation of HOCl as well as through a non-HOCl-mediated mechanism. Evidence for a non-HOCl-mediated mechanism comes from experiments in which luminol, myeloperoxidase, and O2- generated by xanthine-xanthine oxidase produce luminescence in the absence of chloride ion. These studies provide further insight into the sequence of events which occur during the stimulation of neutrophils with chemotactic factors and the nature of neutrophil chemiluminescence.

Styrene oxidation to styrene oxide by hydroxyl radicals produced during reaction of xanthine with xanthine oxidase in the presence of Fe3+

Styrene was oxidized to styrene oxide during reaction of xanthine (X) with xanthine oxidase (XO) in the presence of Fe3+. This reaction showed a dose-dependent requirement of iron and was inhibited by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, indicating that both the superoxide anion and H2O2 were essential. Styrene oxide production was inhibited by hydroxyl radical scavengers indicating that this reactive oxygen intermediate could be the proximal oxidant involved in styrene oxidation to styrene oxide.