Lipoxygenase products induce ultraweak light emission from human erythroleukemia cells

Biological autoluminescence as a perturbance-free method for monitoring oxidation in biosystems

Biological oxidation processes are in the core of life energetics, play an important role in cellular biophysics, physiological cell signaling or cellular pathophysiology. Understanding of biooxidation processes is also crucial for biotechnological applications. Therefore, a plethora of methods has been developed for monitoring oxidation so far, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages. We review here the available methods for monitoring oxidation and their basic characteristics and capabilities. Then we focus on a unique method - the only one that does not require input of additional external energy or chemicals - which employs detection of biological autoluminescence (BAL). We highlight the pros and cons of this method and provide an overview of how BAL can be used to report on various aspects of cellular oxidation processes starting from oxygen consumption to the generation of oxidation products such as carbonyls. This review highlights the application potential of this completely non-invasive and label-free biophotonic diagnostic method.

Detection of lead-induced oxidative stress in the rat epididymis by chemiluminescence

It has been shown that lead (Pb) is able to induce lipid peroxidation, one of the main manifestations of oxidative stress. In this study we examined the relationship between chronic Pb exposure and level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in reproductive system tissues of sexually mature male Wistar rats. One group of animals (control, K) was allowed to drink distilled water, the second group (Pb) was allowed to drink freely 1% aqueous solution of lead acetate. Another groups had a following supplements: rats were allowed to drink distilled water containing vitamin C (vit C) at concentration of 500 mg/l or Trolox (a vitamin E analog) at concentration of 48 mg/l or vit C (500 mg/l) + Trolox (48 mg/l). The similar groups among Pb-treated animals were examined after treatment with the same vitamins and using the same vitamin doses, dissolved in 1% aqueous solution of lead acetate. In all cases the time of drinking was 6 months. It was found that lead content in samples of tissues from testis, epididymis and in a whole blood in Pb- and Pb with antioxidants treated rats was significantly elevated. Chemiluminescence (CL) emitted by the Pb-treated tissues was significantly higher when compared to the light emission by tissues isolated from the animals of control group. The increase in the CL caused by lead occurs in the following increasing order within the studied tissues: cauda of epididymis < testis < caput of epididymis (19%, 39% and 51%, respectively). Dietary vit C supplementation to the Pb-treated rats for 6 months period decreased the CL from caput of epididymis, cauda of epididymis and testis (by 43%, 24%, 39%, respectively) more effectively in comparison to the control group (35%, 17%, 33%, respectively). Also stronger quenching effect on the light emission from the above mentioned tissues after Trolox supplementation was observed in the Pb-treated group (42%, 21%, 35%, respectively) than in the control group (23%, 13%, 13% respectively). The combination of both antioxidants treatments (vit C and Trolox) did not give a higher significant quenching effect compared to the treatment with the vitamins separately. No ultrastructural changes were found in the seminiferous epithelium of Pb-treated animals. However, we found abnormalities in ultrastructure of epididymal epithelial cells and epididymal spermatozoa in rats of Pb-treated groups. These findings provide ex vivo evidence that Pb causes oxidative cellular damage in reproductive system tissues of adult male rats, which may be closely associated with the ROS production.

Arachidonate cascade, apoptosis, and vitamin E in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from hemodialysis patients

BACKGROUND

Lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress are enhanced in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from hemodialysis (HD) patients because of upregulation of the 5-lipoxygenase pathway of the arachidonate cascade. 5-Lipoxygenase activity is specifically inhibited by vitamin E both in vitro and in vivo regardless of its administration route.

METHODS

The effect of arachidonate cascade enzymes and vitamin E on oxidative stress and apoptosis was investigated in PBMCs from 16 maintenance HD patients treated for at least 6 months with cuprammonium rayon membranes in a two-step crossover study: after a 4-week treatment with vitamin E-coated cuprammonium rayon membranes and again after a 4-week treatment with oral vitamin E. Control PBMCs were obtained from 16 healthy volunteers.

RESULTS

Membrane lipoperoxidation, cellular luminescence, membrane fluidity, and leukotriene B(4) content were significantly greater in PBMCs from HD patients; lipoxygenase was upregulated, but prostaglandin H synthase (PHS) was not affected. Regardless of administration route, vitamin E partially controlled lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress through direct inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase. Cultured PBMCs from HD patients showed a significant increase in apoptotic cells compared with controls. Vitamin E markedly reduced cell luminescence, membrane fluidity, and apoptosis, whereas the PHS inhibitor indomethacin was ineffective. Similar results were obtained with control PBMCs induced to apoptosis by hydrogen peroxide.

CONCLUSION

Reported data suggest that the 5-lipoxygenase branch of the arachidonate cascade is only responsible for membrane peroxidation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis of PBMCs of HD patients, and administration of vitamin E may be helpful in the control of oxidative stress-related disease in these subjects.

The early phase of apoptosis in human neuroblastoma CHP100 cells is characterized by lipoxygenase-dependent ultraweak light emission

Human neuroblastoma CHP100 cells were forced into apoptosis (programmed cell death, PCD) or necrosis by treatment with calcium chloride or sodium nitroprusside (a nitric oxide donor), respectively. Cellular luminescence, a marker of membrane lipid peroxidation, was increased by calcium but not by nitroprusside, and reached a maximum of 4-fold the control value 2 hours after treatment. The increase in luminescence was paralleled by increased 5-lipoxygenase (up to 250% of the control value) and decreased catalase (down to 50%) activity within the same time window. Consistently, incubation of CHP100 cells with inhibitors of 5-lipoxygenase (5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid and MK886) reduced light emission and PCD, whereas inhibition of catalase by 3-amino-1, 2,4-triazole enhanced both processes. Treatment of CHP100 cells with retinoic acid or cisplatin, unrelated PCD inducers reported to activate the lipoxygenase pathway, also gave enhanced light emission parallel to PCD increase. Altogether, these results suggest that cellular luminescence is an early marker of apoptotic, but not necrotic, program(s) involving generation of hydrogen peroxide and activation of 5-lipoxygenase.