Coordinate and redox interactions of epinephrine with ferric and ferrous iron at physiological pH

The ferryl generation by fenton reaction driven by catechol

The Fenton and Fenton-like reactions are based on the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by Fe(II), primarily producing highly oxidizing hydroxyl radicals (HO∙). While HO∙ is the main oxidizing species in these reactions, Fe(IV) (FeO2+) generation has been reported as one of the primary oxidants. FeO2+ has a longer lifetime than HO∙ and can remove two electrons from a substrate, making it a critical oxidant that may be more efficient than HO∙. It is widely accepted that the preferential generation of HO∙ or FeO2+ in the Fenton reaction depends on factors such as pH and Fe: H2O2 ratio. Reaction mechanisms have been proposed to generate FeO2+, which mainly depend on the radicals generated in the coordination sphere and the HO∙ radicals that diffuse out of the coordination sphere and react with Fe(III). As a result, some mechanisms are dependent on prior HO∙ radical production. Catechol-type ligands can induce and amplify the Fenton reaction by increasing the generation of oxidizing species. Previous studies have focused on the generation of HO∙ radicals in these systems, whereas this study investigates the generation of FeO2+ (using xylidine as a selective substrate). The findings revealed that FeO2+ production is increased compared to the classical Fenton reaction and that FeO2+ generation is mainly due to the reactivity of Fe(III) with HO∙ from outside the coordination sphere. It is proposed that the inhibition of FeO2+ generation via HO∙ generated from inside the coordination sphere is caused by the preferential reaction of HO∙ with semiquinone in the coordination sphere, favoring the formation of quinone and Fe(III) and inhibiting the generation of FeO2+ through this pathway.

An integrated strategy to explore the potential role of melatonin against copper-induced adrenaline toxicity in rat cardiomyocytes: Insights into oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis

AIMS

Circumstantial anxiety as well as chronic stress may stimulate the release of stress hormones including catecholamines. Adrenaline toxicity has been implicated in many cardiovascular conditions. Considering previous literature that suggests the oxidative potential of the adrenaline-copper entity, we have investigated its potential nocuous role in isolated adult rat cardiomyocytes, the underlying molecular mechanism, and its possible protection by melatonin.

MAIN METHODS

Given the mechanistic congruity of adrenaline-copper (AC) with the well-established H₂O₂-copper-ascorbate (HCA) system of free radical generation, we have used the latter as a representative model to study the cytotoxic nature of AC. We further investigated the cardioprotective efficacy of melatonin in both the stress models through scanning electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and western blot analysis.

KEY FINDINGS

Results show that melatonin significantly protects AC-treated cardiomyocytes from ROS-mediated membrane damage, disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, antioxidant imbalance, and distortion of cellular morphology. Melatonin protects cardiomyocytes from inflammation by downregulating pro-inflammatory mediators viz., COX-2, NF-κB, TNF-α, and upregulating anti-inflammatory IL-10. Melatonin significantly ameliorated cardiomyocyte apoptosis in AC and HCA-treated cells as evidenced by decreased BAX/BCL-2 ratio and subsequent suppression of caspase-9 and caspase-3 levels. The isothermal calorimetric study revealed that melatonin inhibits the binding of adrenaline bitartrate with copper in solution, which fairly explains the rescue potential of melatonin against AC-mediated toxicity in cardiomyocytes.

SIGNIFICANCE

Findings suggest that the multipronged strategy of melatonin that includes its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and overall cardioprotective ability may substantiate its potential therapeutic efficacy against adrenaline-copper-induced damage and death of adult rat cardiomyocytes.

Screen-printed disposable electrodes using graphite-polyurethane composites modified with magnetite and chitosan-coated magnetite nanoparticles for voltammetric epinephrine sensing: a comparative study

Disposable screen-printed electrodes based on the use of graphite-polyurethane composites modified with magnetite nanoparticles (MNP-SPE) or chitosan-coated magnetite nanoparticles (CHMNP-SPE) are described. The MNP and CHMNP were synthetized and comparatively characterized by TEM, XRD, FTIR, and TGA/DTG. The MNP-SPE and CHMNP-SPE were characterized by SEM and EDX. After optimization of the MNP percentage in MNP-SPE, the materials were electrochemically characterized by cyclic voltammetry, EIS, and chronocoulometry. The electrodes were tested for their performance towards sensing of epinephrine (EP). The CHMNP-SPE is found to have better electrochemical responses in comparison to the MNP-SPE. This is assumed to be due to the chitosan coating which also protects the MNPs from oxidation under air and at different applied potential fields. The performances of the MNP-SPE and CHMNP-SPE were studied by DPV after optimization of equilibration time and DPV parameters. Response is linear in the 0.1-0.8 μM EP concentration range, at 0.03 V (vs. pseudo-Ag/AgCl), and the detection limit is 25 nM for the MNP-SPE. The linear response for the CHMNP-SPE was 0.1-0.6 μM, at 0.0 V (vs. pseudo-Ag/AgCl), and a LOD of 14 nM was achieved. The devices were used for the quantification of EP in synthetic urine and in cerebrospinal synthetic fluids. Recoveries from spiked samples are in the 95.6-102.2% range for the CHMNP-SPE and in the 98.3-109% range for MNP-SPE. The stability of the respective sensors was investigated and compared over a period of 5 months. The EP peak currents were found to decrease by only 4% for the CHMNP-SPE, while the MNP-SPE lost 23% of its EP peak current. Accordingly, the CHMNP-SPE was chosen as the most stable and sensitive sensor for EP. Graphical abstract Schematic figure of modification of a graphite-polyurethane screen-printed composite electrode with magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) and chitosan-coated magnetite nanoparticles (CHMNPs) for the voltammetric determination of epinephrine (EP). Improved response of CHMNP-SPE (black voltammogram) in comparison to MNP-SPE (red voltammogram) was attributed to the protection of MNP from oxidation.

Fluorescence Sensing Platforms for Epinephrine Detection Based on Low Temperature Cofired Ceramics

A novel fluorescence-sensing pathway for epinephrine (EP) detection was investigated. The ceramic-based miniature biosensor was developed through the immobilization of an enzyme (laccase, tyrosinase) on a polymer—poly-(2,6-di([2,2′-bithiophen]-5-yl)-4-(5-hexylthiophen-2-yl)pyridine), based on low temperature cofired ceramics technology (LTCC). The detection procedure was based on the oxidation of the substrate, i.e., in the presence of the enzyme. An alternative enzyme-free system utilized the formation of a colorful complex between Fe²⁺ ions and epinephrine molecules. With the optimized conditions, the analytical performance illustrated high sensitivity and selectivity in a broad linear range with a detection limit of 0.14–2.10 nM. Moreover, the strategy was successfully used for an EP injection test with labeled pharmacological samples.

Ferrous iron binding to epinephrine promotes the oxidation of iron and impedes activation of adrenergic receptors

Upon release in response to stress, epinephrine (Epi) may interact with labile iron pool in human plasma with potentially important (patho)physiological consequences. We have shown that Epi and Fe³⁺ build stable 1:1 high-spin bidentate complex at physiological pH, and that Epi does not undergo degradation in the presence of iron. However, the interactions of Epi with the more soluble Fe²⁺, and the impact of iron on biological activity of Epi are still not known. Herein we showed that Epi and Fe²⁺ build colorless complex which is stable under anaerobic conditions. In the presence of O₂, Epi promoted the oxidation of Fe²⁺ and the formation of Epi-Fe³⁺ complex. Cyclic voltammetry showed that mid-point potential of Epi-Fe²⁺ complex is very low (-582 mV vs. standard hydrogen electrode), which explains catalyzed oxidation of Fe²⁺. Next, we examined the impact of iron binding on biological performance of Epi using patch clamping in cell culture with constitutive expression of adrenergic receptors. Epi alone evoked an increase of outward currents, whereas Epi in the complex with Fe³⁺ did not. This implies that the binding of Epi to adrenergic receptors and their activation is prevented by the formation of complex with iron. Pro-oxidative activity of Epi-Fe²⁺ complex may represent a link between chronic stress and cardiovascular problems. On the other hand, labile iron could serve as a modulator of biological activity of ligands. Such interactions may be important in human pathologies that are related to iron overload or deficiency.