Importance of two iron-reducing systems in lipid peroxidation of rat brain: implications for oxygen toxicity in the central nervous system

The mechanism of lipid peroxidation in the central nervous system has been studied using oxygen-flushed rat brain homogenates at pH 7.4. Brain lipid peroxidation was monitored by chemiluminescence and by determination of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances. Less involvement of O2-., H2O2 and probably .OH in the initiation of lipid peroxidation was indicated. Deferroxamine was an extremely potent inhibitor of lipid peroxidation, suggesting that lipid peroxidation was catalyzed by endogenous iron. Brain tissues were shown to contain at least two iron-reducing systems for promotion of lipid peroxidation. One was ascorbate-dependent and the other NADPH-dependent. The former was much more potent than the latter with respect to iron-reducing activity.