Evidence for the Addition of the Superoxide Anion to the Anti-Oxidant n-Propyl Gallate in Aqueous Solution

n-Propyl gallate reacts with the superoxide radical anion in aqueous solution (k = 5.1 × 10⁵ mol^?1 dm³s^?1). The spectrum of the transient species so formed has been measured (absorbance maximum at 550nm, ? = 1360mol^?1dm³cm^?1). Electron or H atom transfer processes as well as proton abstraction have been excluded as possible mechanisms, and it is proposed that an addition reaction takes place.     

The Reaction of Sulfite Radical Anion with Nucleic Acid Components

The sulfite radical anion (SO₃^?) is the first intermediate in the autoxidation of sulfite to sulfate. Using competition kinetics, its reactivities with the nucleic acid bases and the corresponding nucleosides were investigated. The second order rate constants were found to be rather low, k < 1 × 10⁶dm³mol^?1s^?1 at pH 7. As a competitor, the carotenoid crocin was used, which was found to be bleached very efficiently by SO₃^? (k = 1.0 × 10⁹dm³mol^?1S^?1).     

Astaxanthin diferulate as a bifunctional antioxidant

Abstract

Astaxanthin when esterified with ferulic acid is better singlet oxygen quencher with k₂ = (1.58 ± 0.1) 10¹⁰ L mol^{? 1}s^{? 1} in ethanol at 25°C compared with astaxanthin with k₂ = (1.12 ± 0.01) 10⁹ L mol^{? 1}s^{? 1}. The ferulate moiety in the astaxanthin diester is a better radical scavenger than free ferulic acid as seen from the rate constant of scavenging of 1-hydroxyethyl radicals in ethanol at 25°C with a second-order rate constant of (1.68 ± 0.1) 10⁸ L mol^{? 1}s^{? 1} compared with (1.60 ± 0.03) 10⁷ L mol^{? 1}s^{? 1} for the astaxanthin:ferulic acid mixture, 1:2 equivalents. The mutual enhancement of antioxidant activity for the newly synthetized astaxanthin diferulate becoming a bifunctional antioxidant is rationalized according to a two-dimensional classification plot for electron donation and electron acceptance capability.     

Reactivity of hypotaurine and cysteine sulfinic acid toward carbonate radical anion and nitrogen dioxide as explored by the peroxidase activity of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase and by pulse radiolysis

Abstract

Hypotaurine and cysteine sulfinic acid are known to be readily oxidized to the respective sulfonates, taurine and cysteic acid, by several oxidative agents that may be present in biological systems. In this work, the relevance of both the carbonate anion and nitrogen dioxide radicals in the oxidation of hypotaurine and cysteine sulfinic acid has been explored by the peroxidase activity of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) and by pulse radiolysis. The extent of sulfinate oxidation induced by the system SOD/H₂O₂ in the presence of bicarbonate (CO₃^?– generation), or nitrite (^?NO₂ generation) has been evaluated. Hypotaurine is efficiently oxidized by the carbonate radical anion generated by the peroxidase activity of Cu,Zn SOD. Pulse radiolysis studies have shown that the carbonate radical anion reacts with hypotaurine more rapidly (k = 1.1 × 10⁹ M^?1s^?1) than nitrogen dioxide (k = 1.6 × 10⁷ M^?1s^?1). Regarding cysteine sulfinic acid, it is less reactive with the carbonate radical anion (k = 5.5 × 10⁷ M^?1s^?1) than hypotaurine. It has also been observed that the one-electron transfer oxidation of both sulfinates by the radicals is accompanied by the generation of transient sulfonyl radicals (RSO₂^?). Considering that the carbonate radical anion could be formed in vivo at high level from bicarbonate, this radical can be included in the oxidants capable of performing the last metabolic step of taurine biosynthesis. Moreover, the protective effect exerted by hypotaurine and cysteine sulfinate on the carbonate radical anion-mediated tyrosine dimerization indicates that both sulfinates have scavenging activity towards the carbonate radical anion. However, the formation of transient reactive intermediates during sulfinate oxidation by carbonate anion and nitrogen dioxide radical may at the same time promote oxidative reactions.     

Dynamics of molecular organization in agarose sulphate

Nongelling solutions of structurally regular chain segments of agarose sulphate show disorder–order and order–disorder transitions (as monitored by the temperature dependence of optical rotation) that are closely similar to the conformational changes that accompany the sol–gel and gel–sol transitions of the unsegmented polymer. The transition midpoint temperature (T_m) for formation of the ordered structure on cooling is ～25 K lower than T_m for melting. Salt-induced conformational ordering, monitored by polarimetric stopped-flow, occurs on a millisecond time scale, and follows the dynamics expected for the process 2 coil ? helix. The equilibrium constant for helix growth (s) was calculated as a function of temperature from the calorimetric enthalpy change for helix formation (ΔH_cal = ?3.0 ± 0.3 kJ per mole of disaccharide pairs in the ordered state), measured by differential scanning calorimetry. The temperature dependence of the nucleation rate constant (k_nuc), calculated from the observed second-order rate constant (k_obs) by the relationship k_obs = k_nuc(1 ? 1/s) gave the following activation parameters for nucleation of the ordered structure of agarose sulphate (1 mg mL^?1; 0.5M Me₄NCl or KCl): ΔH* = 112 ± 5 kJ mol^?1; ΔS* = 262 ± 20 J mol^?1 K^?1; ΔG*₂₉₈ = 34 ± 6 kJ mol^?1; (k_nuc)₂₉₈ = (7.5 ± 0.5) × 10⁶ dm³ mol^?1 s^?1. The endpoint of the fast relaxation process corresponds to the metastable optical rotation values observed on cooling from the fully disordered form. Subsequent slow relaxation to the true equilibrium values (i.e., coincident with those observed on heating from the fully ordered state) was monitored by conventional optical rotation measurements over several weeks and follows second-order kinetics, with rate constants of (2.25 ± 0.07) × 10^?4 and (3.10 ± 0.10) × 10^?4 dm³ mol^?1 s^?1 at 293.7 and 296.2 K, respectively. This relaxation is attributed to the sequential aggregation processes helix + helix → dimer, helix + dimer → trimer, etc., with depletion of isolated helix driving the much faster coil–helix equilibrium to completion. Light-scattering measurements above and below the temperature range of the conformational transitions indicate an average aggregate size of 2–3 helices.     

In Vztro Scavenger Effect of Dihydroquinoline Type Derivatives in Different Free Radical Generating Systems

The non-toxic and water soluble dihydroquinoline type antioxidants: CH 402 (Na-2,2-dimethyl-l.2-dihydroquinoline-4-yl methane sulphonate) and MTDQ-DA (6.6-methylene bis 2.2-dimethyl-4-methane sulphonicacid: Na-1.2-dihydroquinoline) were studied in various in vitro tests in which oxygen free radicals were generated. Both compounds were shown to scavenge superoxide radical anions O^?₂ produced in aqueous solution by pulse radiolysis with rate constants k (O^?₂ + MTDQ-DA) = 4.10⁸dm³ mol^?1s^?1 and k(O^?₂ +CH402) = 1.5.10⁷dm³ mol^?1s ^?1. CH 402 and MTDQ-DA reduced the H₂O₂ produced in the glucose-glucose oxidase reaction, which was detected by the luminol + hemin reaction with a chemilumi-nometric method. The dihydroquinoline type substrates inhibited the NADPH-induced and Fe^{3 +}—stimulated lipid peroxidation and the ascorbic acid-induced non-enzymatic peroxidation pathways in microsomal fractions of rat and mouse liver.     

Kinetics of oxidation of tyrosine by a model alkoxyl radical

Abstract

Oxidation of tyrosine moieties by radicals involved in lipid peroxidation is of current interest; while a rate constant has been reported for reaction of lipid peroxyl radicals with a tyrosine model, little is known about the reaction between tyrosine and alkoxyl radicals (also intermediates in the lipid peroxidation chain reaction). In this study, the reaction between a model alkoxyl radical, the tert-butoxyl radical and tyrosine was followed using steady-state and pulse radiolysis. Acetone, a product of the β-fragmentation of the tert-butoxyl radical, was measured; the yield was reduced by the presence of tyrosine in a concentration- and pH-dependent manner. From these data, a rate constant for the reaction between tert-butoxyl and tyrosine was estimated as 6?±?1 × 10⁷ M^?1 s^?1 at pH 10. Tyrosine phenoxyl radicals were also monitored directly by kinetic spectrophotometry following generation of tert-butoxyl radicals by pulse radiolysis of solutions containing tyrosine. From the yield of tyrosyl radicals (measured before they decayed) as a function of tyrosine concentration, a rate constant for the reaction between tert-butoxyl and tyrosine was estimated as 7?±?3 × 10⁷ M^?1 s^?1 at pH 10 (the reaction was not observable at pH 7). We conclude that reaction involves oxidation of tyrosine phenolate rather than undissociated phenol; since the pK_a of phenolic hydroxyl dissociation in tyrosine is ～ 10.3, this infers a much lower rate constant, about 3 × 10⁵ M^?1 s^?1, for the reaction between this alkoxyl radical and tyrosine at pH 7.4.     

Radical Scavenging by Flavonoid Antioxidants

Aroxyl radicals of fifteen structurally distinct flavonoids were generated by attack of azide radicals (N₃) on the parent compounds dissolved in aqueous solution at pH 11.5. Generation rate constants were all found to be very high (2.4 – 8.8 × 10⁹dm³mol^?1s^?1), whereas the decay rates differed considerably, ranging from 10⁵ to 108dm3mol^?1s^?1. In most cases the spectral characteristics of the transient aroxyl radicals relate to structural features of the parent compounds and according to spectral similarities they can be classed in three distinct groups (with only two exceptions).

Although the data do not conclusively prove that the biological function of flavonoids might be the scavenging of radicals, the very high rate constants of formation and the relative stability of some of the aroxyl radicals, are in support of such a hypothesis.     

Kinetic and equilibrium studies of cyclomalto-octaose (γ-cyclodextrin)-methyl orange inclusion complexes

Measurements of the equilibrium and temperature-jump u.v., visible, and induced c.d. spectra of Methyl Orange (MO) in the presence of cyclomalto-octaose (γ-cyclodextrin, γ-CD) have been carried out. Three mechanistic steps were detected through the temperature-jump data (25.0°):

where K₁, K₂, and K₃ are 45 (±7), 2.0 (±1.1) × 10⁶, and 6.1 (±2.5) × 10³ dm³.mol^?1, respectively, k₂ = 9.4 (±5.1) × 10⁹ dm³.mol^?1.s^?1, and k_?2 = 4.8 (±0.8) × 10³ s^?1. The equilibrium u.v./visible data are also consistent with this reaction scheme. The high stability of the dimer inclusion complex (MO)₂ · γ-CD compared to that of the monomer inclusion complex MO · γ-CD appears to be related to the annular diameter of γ-CD and demonstrates a degree of selectivity in cyclodextrin inclusion complexes. The (MO)₂ · (γ-CD)₂ complex also contains a dimer, included by both γ-CD molecules.     

Kinetics and thermodynamics of catalysis and thermal inactivation of a novel α-amylase (Tp-AmyS) from Thermotoga petrophila

Abstract

This research is focussed on kinetic, thermodynamic and thermal inactivation of a novel thermostable recombinant α-amylase (Tp-AmyS) from Thermotoga petrophila. The amylase gene was cloned in pHIS-parallel1 expression vector and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The steady-state kinetic parameters (V_max, K_m, k_cat and k_cat/K_m) for the hydrolysis of amylose (1.39?mg/min, 0.57?mg, 148.6?s^?1, 260.7), amylopectin (2.3?mg/min, 1.09?mg, 247.1?s^?1, 226.7), soluble starch (2.67?mg/min, 2.98?mg, 284.2?s^?1, 95.4) and raw starch (2.1?mg/min, 3.6?mg, 224.7?s^?1, 61.9) were determined. The activation energy (E_a), free energy (ΔG), enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy of activation (ΔS) at 98?°C were 42.9?kJ mol^?1, 74?kJ mol^?1, 39.9?kJ mol^?1 and ?92.3 J mol^?1 K^?1, respectively, for soluble starch hydrolysis. While ΔG of substrate binding (ΔG_E-S) and ΔG of transition state binding (ΔG_E-T) were 3.38 and ?14.1?kJ mol^?1, respectively. Whereas, EaD, Gibbs free energy (ΔG*), increase in the enthalpy (ΔH*) and activation entropy (ΔS*) for activation of the unfolding of transition state were 108, 107, 105?kJ mol^?1 and ?4.1 J mol^?1 K^?1. The thermodynamics of irreversible thermal inactivation of Tp-AmyS revealed that at high temperature the process involves the aggregation of the protein.     

Free radicals and singlet oxygen scavengers: Reaction of a peroxy-radical with β-carotene,diphenyl furan and 1,4-diazobicyclo(2,2,2)-octane

The ‘singlet oxygen scavengers’. 1,4-diazobicyclo(2,2,2)-octane (DABCO), diphenyl furan and β-carotene react rapidly with the organic peroxyradical CCl₃O₂^?. The absolute reaction rate constants k = 1.2 ± 0.2 × 10⁷, 6 ± 2 × 10⁷ at 1.5 ± 0.2 × 10⁹ M^?1s^?1 respectively have been determined by pulse radiolysis. Comparison with other data suggest that other free radicals are also likely to react with these compounds; in the case of the hydroxyl radical and DABCO k = 1.25 × 10⁹ M^?1s^?1 has been determined.     

Binding of Paeonol to Human Serum Albumin: A Hybrid Spectroscopic Approach and Conformational Study

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the binding of paeonol to human serum albumin (HSA) through spectroscopic methods. The fluorescence quenching of HSA by paeonol was a result of the formation of the HSA–paeonol complex with low binding affinity (K = 4.45 × 10³ M^?1 at 298 K). Thermodynamic parameters (ΔG^○ = –2.08 × 10⁴ J·mol^?1, ΔS^○ = 77.9 J·mol^?1·K^?1, ΔH^○ = 2.41 × 10³ J·mol^?1, k_q = 9.67 × 10¹² M^?1·s^?1) revealed that paeonol mainly binds HSA through hydrophobic force following a static quenching mode. The binding distance was estimated to be 1.91 nm by fluorescence resonant energy transfer. The conformation of HSA was changed and aggregates were formed in the presence of paeonol, revealed by synchronous fluorescence, circular dichroism, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, three‐dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy, and resonance light scattering results.     

The Kinetics of the Reaction of Ferritin with Superoxide

Using pulse radiolysis and competition kinetics with cytochrome c, the reaction of superoxide with horse spleen ferritin was investigated. The second-order rate constant is estimated to be 2 ± 1 × 10⁶dm³mol^?1s^?1     

New Aspects in the Free-Radical Chemistry of Pyrimidine Nucleobases

The contribution will cover three aspects:

i) It has been known for some time that OH radicals and H atoms react with the pyrimidines by adding to the C(5)-C(6) double bond, but only the u.v.-spectra of the sum of these radicals have been reported so far. It will be shown how to arrive at the individual spectra of the C(5) and the C(6) adduct radicals.

ii) α-Hydroxyalkyl radicals are known to inactivate biologically active DNA. In contrast to the electrophilic radicals H and OH they are nucleophilic and the hydroxymethyl radicals add exclusively at the C(6) position of 1,3-dimethyluracil (k ～ 10⁴dm³ mol^?1 s^?1). In the corresponding thymine derivative this reaction also occurs, but one third of the hydroxymethyl radicals abstract an H-atom from the C(5)-methyl group thereby forming an allylic radical. In the course of these reactions pyrimidines with an exocyclic double bond are formed. These products react much more rapidly with hydroxymethyl radicals than the starting material leading to highly hydroxymethylated material at very low doses.

iii) The direct effect of ionizing radiation which would produce a pyrimidine base radical cation can be mimicked by reacting the pyrimidine with SO₄^?, a very good electron acceptor. In water, the radical cation of 1,3-dimethyluracil is rapidly (t_1/2 2μs) converted into the C(5) OH adduct radical. In the presence of peroxodisulphate a chain reaction sets in which leads to the cis-glycol.

The relevance of these findings to radiobiological aspects of nucleic acid research will be discussed.     

Determination of sulfite radical (SO 3 ⋅ −) reaction rate constants by means of competition kinetics

Summary The sulfite radical anion (SO ₃ ^–) was found to react rapidly with the flavonoid quercetin (k = 2.5 × 10⁸ dm³mol^–1 s^–1) and the carotenoids crocin (k = 1.0 × 10⁹ dm³mol^–1 s^1–) and crocetin (k = 1.5 × 10⁹ dm³mol^1– s^1–). The reactions can easily be monitored due to the strong absorptions of the substrates and, in the case of quercetin, the formation of a strongly absorbing transient species. Using these substances, we determined by means of competition kinetics rate constants of SO ₃ ^– reactions with nucleic acid components, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and glutathione.Abbreviations ABTS 2,2-azinobis(3-ethyl-6-benzothiazolinesulfonate) - cmc critical micellization concentration - GSH Glutathione - PUFA polyunsaturated fatty acids Preliminary results were presented at the Third Biennial Meeting of the Society for Free Radical Research in Düsseldorf in July, 1986     

Cordil Reversibly Inhibits the Na,K-ATPase from Outside of the Cell Membrane. Role of K-dependent Dephosphorylation

Abstract

Cordil-LND796 is a new cardiotonic glycoside under development. In rat brain microsomes where three isoforms of the Na, K-ATPase with differential affinities for cardiac glycosides have been identified, Cordil had higher affinity for the α₃ (IC₅₀ = 0.02 μM) than for the α₂ (IC₅₀ = 0.6 μM) and the α₁ (IC₅₀ = 30 μM) isozymes. Cordil is potentially a selective inhibitor for both α₂ and α₃ Na, K-ATPase isoforms. Using inside out vesicles we have shown that Cordil binds to and inhibits Na, K-ATPase at an extracellular site. The dissociation kinetic rates (k_?1) from the ATPase and the phosphatase activity (K-dependent dephosphorylation) of the Na, K-ATPase were similar for Cordil. Despite these similarities to ouabain comparison of the kinetics of the Na, K-ATPase inhibition by ouabain and Cordil revealed marked differences in their association rates (k₊₁ = 0.7 1 mol¹ min^?1 and k₊₁ = 6 × 10_?3 1 mol_?1 min_?1 respectively) and their dissociation rates (k_?1 = 1.3 ± 0.2 × 10^?4 S^?1 and k_?1 = 69 ± 7 × 10^?4 s^?1 respectively). Both binding association and dissociation rates were enhanced for Cordil. These data are compatible with a stabilizing effect of Cordil on the E₂P conformational state of Na, K-ATPase.     

Pulse radiolytic study of α-tocopherol radical mechanisms in ethanolic solution

Pulse radiolytic studies of α-tocopherol (αTH) oxidation-reduction processes were carried out with low doses (5 Gy) of high-energy electrons in O₂₋, N₂₋, and air-saturated ethanolic solutions. Depending on the concentration of oxygen in solution, two different radicals, A· and B·, were observed. The first, A·, was obtained under N₂ and results from aTH reaction with solvated electron (k_aTH+csolv⁻ = 3.4 × 10⁸ mol⁻¹ liter s⁻¹) and with H₃C-ĊH-OH, (R·) (k_{aTH + R·} = 5 × 10⁵ mol⁻¹ liter s⁻¹). B·, observed under O₂, is produced by αTH reaction with RO₂ peroxyl radicals (k_aTH + RO₂^. = 9.5 × 10⁴ mol⁻¹ liter s⁻¹).     

A multiple free-radical scavenging (MULTIS) study on the antioxidant capacity of a neuroprotective drug,edaravone as compared with uric acid,glutathione, and trolox

Edaravone (3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazoline-5-one) is a neuroprotective drug that has been used for brain ischemia injury treatment. Because its activity is speculated to be due to free radical scavenging activity, we carried out a quantitative determination of edaravone’s free radical scavenging activity against multiple free radical species. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spin trapping-based multiple free-radical scavenging (MULTIS) method was employed, where target free radicals were hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion, alkoxyl radical, alkylperoxyl radical, methyl radical, and singlet oxygen. Edaravone showed relatively high scavenging abilities against hydroxyl radical (scavenging rate constant k = 2.98 × 10¹¹ M⁻¹ s⁻¹), singlet oxygen (k = 2.75 × 10⁷ M⁻¹ s⁻¹), and methyl radical (k = 3.00 × 10⁷ M⁻¹ s⁻¹). Overall, edaravone’s scavenging activity against multiple free radical species is as robust as other known potent antioxidant such as uric acid, glutathione, and trolox. A radar chart illustration of the MULTIS activity relative to uric acid, glutathione, and trolox indicates that edaravone has a high and balanced antioxidant activity with low specificity.     

Scavenging of hydroxyl radical by catecholamines

The direct effects of the four catecholamines (CATs), adrenaline (A), noradrenaline (NA), dopamine (D) and isoproterenol (I), on free radicals were investigated using the free radical 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH^?) and hydroxyl radial (HO^?). The CATs examined were found to inhibit the ESR signal intensity of DPPH^? in a dose‐dependent manner over the range 0.1–2.5 mmol/L in the following order: NA > A > I > D, with IC₅₀ = 0.30 ± 0.03 for noradrenaline and IC₅₀ = 0.86 ± 0.02 for dopamine. Hydroxyl radicals were produced using a Fenton reaction in the presence of the spin trap 5,5‐dimethyl‐1‐pyrroline N‐oxide (DMPO), and ESR technique was applied to detect the CATs reactivity toward the radicals. The reaction rates constant (k_r) of CATs with HO^? were found to be in the order of 10⁹ L/mol/s, and the k_r value for noradrenaline was the highest (k_r = 8.4 × 10⁹ L/mol/s). The CATs examined exhibited also a strong decrease in the light emission (62–73% at 1 mmol/L concentration and 79–89% at 2 mmol/L concentration) from a Fenton‐like reaction. These reactions may be relevant to the biological action of these important polyphenolic compounds. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fast repair of purine deoxynucleotide radical cations by rutin and quercetin

Repair effects of rutin and quercetin on purine deoxynucleotide radical cations were studied using pulse radiolysis technique. On electron pulse irradiation of N2 saturated deoxynucleotide aqueous solution containing 20 mmol/L K2S2O8, 200 mmol/L f-BuOH and rutin or quercetin, the transient absorption spectra of the deoxynucleotide radical cations decayed quickly. At the same time, the spectra of flavonoid phenoxyl radicals formed within several dozen microseconds. The results indicated that deoxynucleotide radical cations can be repaired by flavonoids. The rate constants of the repair reactions were 3.8 × 108-4.4×108 mol-1 · L · s-1 and 1.3×108-1.8×108 mol-1 · L · s-1 for dAMP and dGMP radical cations, respectively.