Oxidation of alpha-tocopherol in subcellular fractions from rat brain and its possible involvement in nerve function

Iron uncouples oxidative phosphorylation in brain mitochondria isolated from vitamin E-deficient rats

Few, if any, studies have examined the effect of vitamin E deficiency on brain mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. The latter was studied using brain mitochondria isolated from control and vitamin E-deficient rats (13 months of deficiency) after exposure to iron, an inducer of oxidative stress. Mitochondria were treated with iron (2 to 50 microM) added as ferrous ammonium sulfate. Rates of state 3 and state 4 respiration, respiratory control ratios, and ADP/O ratios were not affected by vitamin E deficiency alone. However, iron uncoupled oxidative phosphorylation in vitamin E-deficient mitochondria, but not in controls. In vitamin E-deficient mitochondria, iron decreased ADP/O ratios and markedly stimulated state 4 respiration; iron had only a modest effect on these parameters in control mitochondria. Thus, vitamin E may have an important role in sustaining oxidative phosphorylation. Low concentrations of iron (2 to 5 microM) oxidized mitochondrial tocopherol that exists in two pools. The release of iron in brain may impair oxidative phosphorylation, which would be exacerbated by vitamin E deficiency. The results are important for understanding the pathogenesis of human brain disorders known to be associated with abnormalities in mitochondrial function as well as iron homeostasis (e.g., Parkinson's disease).

Oxidation of cholesterol in synaptosomes and mitochondria isolated from rat brains

Cholesterol and alpha-tocopherol oxidations were studied in brain subcellular fractions isolated from cerebral hemispheres of 4-month-old, male Fischer 344 rats. The fractions were suspended in buffered media (pH 7.4, 37 degrees C0 and oxidized by adding (i) ferrous iron (Fe2+) with or without ascorbate or (ii) peroxynitrite (an endogenous oxidant produced by the reaction of superoxide and nitric oxide). Treatment of subcellular fractions with Fe2+ in the presence or absence of ascorbate produced primarily 7-keto- and 7-hydroxy-cholesterols and small amounts of 5 alpha, 6 alpha-epoxycholesterol. Since brain contains high levels of ascorbate, and release of iron could result in oxysterol formation. Peroxynitrite oxidized alpha-tocopherol but not cholesterol. Hence, the toxicity of peroxynitrite or nitric oxide could not be due to cytotoxic oxysterols. When synaptosomes were incubated for 5 min in the presence of 0.5 to 2 microM Fe2+ and ascorbate, alpha-tocopherol was oxidized while cholesterol remained unchanged. Thus, alpha-tocopherol is functioning as an antioxidant, protecting cholesterol. Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid blocked production of oxysterols, whereas citrate, ADP and EDTA did not. A significant percentage of mitochondrial cholesterol was oxidized by treatment with Fe2+ and ascorbate. Hence, mitochondrial membrane properties dependent on cholesterol could be particularly susceptible to oxidation. The oxysterols formed were retained within the membranes of synaptosomes and mitochondria. The 7-oxysterols produced are known to be inhibitors of membrane enzymes and also can modify membrane permeability. Hence, oxysterols may plan an important role in brain tissue damage during oxidative stress.

Oxidation of vitamin E, vitamin C, and thiols in rat brain synaptosomes by peroxynitrite

Peroxynitrite is formed by the reaction of superoxide with nitric oxide, an important neurotransmitter. Incubation of rat brain synaptosomes with peroxynitrite resulted in the consumption of antioxidant substances such as alpha-tocopherol, ascorbate, and thiols. Membrane cholesterol was not oxidized under the same conditions. alpha-Tocopherol and ascorbate in synaptosomes were oxidized very rapidly by peroxynitrite. In contrast, previous reports in the literature have shown that peroxynitrite treatment did not oxidize tocopherol in human plasma. Peroxynitrite in sufficient concentrations oxidized all of the tocopherol and ascorbate in synaptosomes. Thus, the oxidant is able to diffuse to the different membranes in synaptosomes and oxidize tocopherol in all of them. alpha-Tocopherol is converted quantitatively to tocopherolquinone during the oxidation. Significant amounts of thiols (at least 30% of the total thiols) do not seem to be accessible to oxidation by peroxynitrite. However, the concentration of thiols is much higher than those of tocopherol and ascorbate. Addition of the hydroxyl radical quenchers benzoate or mannitol or the enzymes superoxide dismutase or catalase (alone or together) did not affect the oxidation of tocopherol and ascorbate by peroxynitrite, whereas cysteine and glutathione blocked the oxidation. Therefore, reactive oxygen species may not be directly involved as intermediates in oxidations induced by peroxynitrite. The latter is a potent oxidizing agent that can oxidize substances such as tocopherols, ascorbate, and thiols in the immediate vicinity of its formation. The antioxidant nutrients ascorbate and tocopherol could play important roles in protecting brain from oxidative damage induced by peroxynitrite.

HPLC-chemiluminescence and thermospray LC/MS study of hydroperoxides generated from phosphatidylcholine

Lipid hydroperoxides generated from phosphatidylcholine (PC) by two commonly employed phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide (PCOOH) generation methods were examined by HPLC-chemiluminescence (CL) and thermospray LC/MS assay. This HPLC-CL assay is specific for hydroperoxides. In the HPLC-CL chromatograms, a major peak eluted at 4.7 min for the samples generated by the photooxidation of PC in the presence of methylene blue. The direct LC/MS analysis of the hydroperoxides contained in this peak determined that the hydroperoxides are mono- and di-PCOOH. Quantitation showed that over 90% of the hydroperoxides generated by photooxidation are PCOOH. In contrast, a different major peak appeared at 3.7 min for the hydroperoxides generated by the incubation of PC with the azo compound AMVN. We determined by LC/MS analysis that the hydroperoxides contained in this peak were not equivalent to either mono- or di-PCOOH. Indeed, 70%-95% of the hydroperoxides generated by AMVN incubation were not PCOOH, but rather a large portion were AMVN-derived hydroperoxides. The hydroperoxides contained in the 4.7-min peak (i.e., PCOOH) were preferentially responsive to cytochrome c-luminol CL cocktail (about 100-fold more responsive than the hydroperoxides in the 3.7-min peak), whereas the hydroperoxides in the 3.7-min peak (including AMVN-derived hydroperoxide) were preferentially responsive to microperoxidase-isoluminol CL cocktail (about 20-fold more responsive than the PCOOH), suggesting a substrate specificity for the CL cocktail.

Experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage: events related to anti-oxidant enzymatic systems and eicosanoid peroxide enhancement

Experimental and clinical studies have emphasized the role of free radicals in the pathogenesis of vasospasm and neurological dysfunction after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Increases in both enzymatic (arachidonic acid cascade and eicosanoid peroxide production) and non-enzymatic (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances production) lipid peroxidation were found, pointing out the key role of arachidonic acid cascade in impairing membrane functionality in the post-hemorrhage brain. The aim of this work is to investigate whether a correlation exists between time-dependent modifications of eicosanoid peroxide production ("ex vivo" release of leukotriene C4 = LTC4) and antioxidant enzymatic systems in the brain after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage in the rat. The release of the LTC4 is significantly enhanced at 1, 6 and 48 hours after SAH induction. Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity is significantly reduced at 6 and 48 hours after SAH induction; Mn-SOD activity is significantly affected at 1, 6 and 48 hours after the hemorrhage. GSH-Px activity is significantly reduced only in the late phase (48 hours) after SAH. The linear regression of statistical analysis, performed to investigate any possible relationship among time-dependent modifications shows that the "ex vivo" release of LTC4 is significantly related to the decreasing trend of MnSOD activity (p < 0.001). The present results suggest that after SAH, a deficit in endogenous anti-oxidant defenses may play a role in making the brain more susceptible to lipid peroxidative events.