不依赖于过渡金属离子的卤代醌介导的新型有机类Fenton反应机理

卤代醌是许多卤芳香持久有机污染物的致癌代谢产物和饮用水消毒副产物。羟基自由基(.OH)被公认为生物系统中最具活性的活性氧物种,能导致生物体内DNA等生物大分子的氧化损伤。目前,最被广泛接受的.OH产生机理是过渡金属离子催化的Fenton反应。综合采用电子自旋共振二级自旋捕获和其他分析方法,发现四氯苯醌和其它卤代醌皆可通过不依赖于过渡金属离子的途径,显著促进氢过氧化物(H2O2或有机氢过氧化物)的分解而产生.OH或烷氧自由基,并首次检测到一种新型的、以碳为中心的醌自由基。基于以上研究,提出一类不依赖于过渡金属离子的卤代醌介导的新型有机类Fenton反应机理。     

Aldehydic lipid peroxidation products derived from linoleic acid

Lipid peroxidation (LPO) processes observed in diseases connected with inflammation involve mainly linoleic acid. Its primary LPO products, 9-hydroperoxy-10,12-octadecadienoic acid (9-HPODE) and 13-hydroperoxy-9,11-octadecadienoic acid (13-HPODE), decompose in multistep degradation reactions. These reactions were investigated in model studies: decomposition of either 9-HPODE or 13-HPODE by Fe(2+) catalyzed air oxidation generates (with the exception of corresponding hydroxy and oxo derivatives) identical products in often nearly equal amounts, pointing to a common intermediate. Pairs of carbonyl compounds were recognized by reacting the oxidation mixtures with pentafluorobenzylhydroxylamine. Even if a pure lipid hydroperoxide is subjected to decomposition a great variety of products is generated, since primary products suffer further transformations. Therefore pure primarily decomposition products of HPODEs were exposed to stirring in air with or without addition of iron ions. Thus we observed that primary products containing the structural element R-CH=CH-CH=CH-CH=O add water and then they are cleaved by retroaldol reactions. 2,4-Decadienal is degraded in the absence of iron ions to 2-butenal, hexanal and 5-oxodecanal. Small amounts of buten-1,4-dial were also detected. Addition of m-chloroperbenzoic acid transforms 2,4-decadienal to 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal. 4,5-Epoxy-2-decenal, synthetically available by treatment of 2,4-decadienal with dimethyldioxirane, is hydrolyzed to 4,5-dihydroxy-2-decenal.     

The inhibitory effect of luteolin-7-O-glucoside on the formation of pentyl and 7-carboxyheptyl radicals from 13-hydroperoxy-9,11-octadecadienoic acid in the presence of iron(II) ions

A flavone glucoside, luteolin-7-O-glucoside (luteolin-7-G) inhibited the formation of pentyl and 7-carboxyheptyl radicals in the reaction of 13-hydroperoxy-9,11-octadecadienoic (13-HPODE) acid with iron(II) ions. The inhibitory effect of luteolin-7-G was diminished in the presence of EDTA. These results indicated that the inhibitory effects of luteolin-7-G occur partly through the chelation of iron ions. Measurement of visible spectra also showed that luteolin-7-G chelates iron ions. On the other hand, luteolin-7-G did not inhibit the reaction under anaerobic conditions, suggesting that oxygen molecules participate in the inhibition. Oxygen consumption measurements showed that the luteolin-7-G/iron ion complexes react with oxygen molecules in competition with 13-HPODE acid, and free iron ions exclusively react with 13-HPODE acid. The reaction of luteolin-7-G/iron ion complexes with oxygen molecules possibly diminishes the formation of pentyl and 7-carboxyheptyl radicals.     

Reactivity of ubiquinones and ubiquinols with free radicals

The reactivity of quinones 1–4 and of the corresponding quinols 5–8 towards carbon- and oxygen-centred radicals were studied. All quinones bearing at least one nuclear position free, readily react with alkyl and phenyl radicals to afford the alkylated quinones 12–24; however, quinones 1 and 3 reacted with 2-cyano-2-propyl radical to yield products (the mono- and di-ethers 9–11) derived from the attack on the carbonylic oxygen. The reactions carried out on quinones with the benzoyloxy radical led to no reaction products and in the case of Q₁₀, the isoprenic chain also remained unchanged. Quinols 5–8 reacted only with oxygencentred radicals (benzoyloxy and 2-cyano-2-propylperoxy radicals) to give the corresponding quinones. The isoprenic chain of Q₁₀ did not undergo attack even with peroxy radicals. Carbon-centred radicals resulted unable to abstract hydrogen from the studied quinols.     

Formation of Nepsilon-(hexanonyl)lysine in protein exposed to lipid hydroperoxide. A plausible marker for lipid hydroperoxide-derived protein modification.

The objectives of this study were to estimate the structure of the lipid hydroperoxide-modified lysine residue and to prove the presence of the adducts in vivo. The reaction of lipid hydroperoxide toward the lysine moiety was investigated employing N-benzoyl-glycyl-L-lysine (Bz-Gly-Lys) as a model compound of Lys residues in protein and 13-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HPODE) as a model of the lipid hydroperoxides. One of the products, compound X, was isolated from the reaction mixture of 13-HPODE and Bz-Gly-Lys and was then identified as N-benzoyl-glycyl-Nepsilon-(hexanonyl)lysine. To prove the formation of Nepsilon-(hexanonyl)lysine, named HEL, in protein exposed to the lipid hydroperoxide, the antibody to the synthetic hexanonyl protein was prepared and then characterized in detail. Using the anti-HEL antibody, the presence of HEL in the lipid hydroperoxide-modified proteins and oxidized LDL was confirmed. Furthermore, the positive staining by anti-HEL antibody was observed in human atherosclerotic lesions using an immunohistochemical technique. The amide-type adduct may be a useful marker for the lipid hydroperoxide-derived modification of biomolecules.     

Formation of acyl radical in lipid peroxidation of linoleic acid by manganese-dependent peroxidase from Ceriporiopsis subvermispora and Bjerkandera adusta.

Lipid peroxidation by managanese peroxidase (MnP) is reported to decompose recalcitrant polycyclic aromatic hydrocabon (PAH) and nonphenolic lignin models. To elucidate the oxidative process, linoleic acid and 13(S)-hydroperoxy-9Z,11E-octadecadienoic acid [13(S)-HPODE] were reacted with MnPs from Ceriporiopsis subvermispora and Bjerkandera adusta and the free radicals produced were analyzed by ESR. When the MnPs were reacted with 13(S)-HPODE in the presence of Mn(II), H2O2 and tert-nitrosobutane (t-NB), the ESR spectrum contained a sharp triplet of acyl radical (aN = 0.81 mT). Formation of acyl radical was also observed in the reactions of Mn(III)-tartrate with 13(S)-HPODE and with linoleic acid, but the latter reaction occurred explosively after an induction period of around 30 min. Reactions of MnP with linoleic acid in the presence of Mn(II), H2O2 and t-NB gave no spin adducts while addition of t-NB after preincubation of linoleic acid with MnP/Mn(II)/H2O2 for 2 h gave spin adducts of carbon-centered (aN = 1.53 mT, aH = 0.21 mT) and acyl (aN = 0.81 mT) radicals. In contrast to linoleic acid, methyl linoleate and oleic acid were not peroxidized by MnP and chelated Mn(III) within a few hours, indicating that structures containing both the 1,4-pentadienyl moiety and a free carboxyl group are necessary for inducing the peroxidation in a short reaction time. These results indicate that MnP-dependent lipid peroxidation is not initiated by direct abstraction of hydrogen from the bis-allylic position during turnover but proceeds by a Mn(III)-dependent hydrogen abstraction from enols and subsequent propagation reactions involving the formation of acyl radical from lipid hydroperoxide. This finding expands the role of chelated Mn(III) from a phenol oxidant to a strong generator of free radicals from lipids and lipid hydroperoxides in lignin biodegradation.     

Mechanism of the antioxidant to pro-oxidant switch in the behavior of dehydroascorbate during LDL oxidation by copper(II) ions

Oxidised low density lipoprotein (LDL) may be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We have therefore investigated the mechanisms underlying the antioxidant/pro-oxidant behavior of dehydroascorbate, the oxidation product of ascorbic acid, toward LDL incubated with Cu(2+) ions. By monitoring lipid peroxidation through the formation of conjugated dienes and lipid hydroperoxides, we show that the pro-oxidant activity of dehydroascorbate is critically dependent on the presence of lipid hydroperoxides, which accumulate during the early stages of oxidation. Using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, we show that dehydroascorbate amplifies the generation of alkoxyl radicals during the interaction of copper ions with the model alkyl hydroperoxide, tert-butylhydroperoxide. Under continuous-flow conditions, a prominent doublet signal was detected, which we attribute to both the erythroascorbate and ascorbate free radicals. On this basis, we propose that the pro-oxidant activity of dehydroascorbate toward LDL is due to its known spontaneous interconversion to erythroascorbate and ascorbate, which reduce Cu(2+) to Cu(+) and thereby promote the decomposition of lipid hydroperoxides. Various mechanisms, including copper chelation and Cu(+) oxidation, are suggested to underlie the antioxidant behavior of dehydroascorbate in LDL that is essentially free of lipid hydroperoxides.     

Cell-mediated reduction of protein and peptide hydroperoxides to reactive free radicals

Radical attack on proteins in the presence of O(2) gives protein hydroperoxides in high yields. These peroxides are decomposed by transition metal ions, reducing agents, UV light and heat, with the formation of a range of reactive radicals that are capable of initiating further damage. Evidence has been presented for the formation of alcohols as stable products of peroxide decomposition, and these have been employed as markers of oxidative damage in vivo. The mechanism of formation of these alcohols is unclear, with both radical and nonradical pathways capable of generating these products. In this study we have investigated the reduction of peptide and protein hydroperoxides by THP-1 (human monocyte-like) cells and it is shown that this process is accompanied by radical formation as detected by EPR spin trapping. The radicals detected, which are similar to those detected from metal-ion catalyzed reduction, are generated externally to the cell. In the absence of cells, or with cell-conditioned media or cell lysates, lower concentrations of radicals were detected, indicating that intact cells are required for rapid hydroperoxide decomposition. The rate of radical generation was enhanced by preloading the cells with ascorbate, and this was accompanied by intracellular formation of the ascorbate radical. It is proposed that decomposition of some amino acid and peptide hydroperoxides occurs extracellularly via the involvement of a cell-surface reducing system, such as a trans-plasma membrane electron transport system (TPMET) either directly, or indirectly via redox cycling of trace transition metal ions.     

Lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes. II. Response of hydroperoxide formation to iron concentration

When rat liver microsomes were incubated with NADPH, the major products were hydroperoxides which increased with time indicating that endogenous iron content is able to promote lipid peroxidation. The addition of either 5 microM Fe2+ or Fe3+ ions strongly enhanced the hydroperoxide formation rate. However, due to the hydroperoxide breakdown, hydroperoxide concentration decreased with time in this case. Higher ferrous or ferric iron concentration did not change the situation much, in that both hydroperoxide breakdown and formation were similar to those when NADPH only was present in the incubation medium. After lipid peroxidation, analysis of fatty acids indicated that the highest amount of peroxidized PUFA occurred in the presence of 5 microM of either Fe2+ or Fe3+. This analysis also showed that after 8 min incubation with low iron concentration, PUFA depletion was about 77% of that observed after 20 min, whereas without any iron addition or in the presence of 30 microM of either Fe3+, PUFA decrease was only about 37% of that observed after 20 min. As far as the optimum Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio required to promote the initiation of microsomal lipid peroxidation in rat liver is concerned, the highest hydroperoxide formation was observed with a ratio ranging from 0.5 to 2. These results indicate that microsomal lipid peroxidation induced by endogenous iron is speeded up by the addition of low concentrations of either Fe2+ or Fe3+ ions, probably because free radicals generated by hydroperoxide breakdown catalyze the propagation process. In experimental conditions unfavourable to hydroperoxide breakdown the principal process is that of the initiation of lipid peroxidation.     

4-Hydroxynonenal, a Lipid Peroxidation Product, Rapidly Accumulates Following Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury and Inhibits Glutamate Uptake

Abstract: Traumatic injury to the spinal cord initiates a host of pathophysiological events that are secondary to the initial insult. One such event is the accumulation of free radicals that damage lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. A major reactive product formed following lipid peroxidation is the aldehyde, 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), which cross-links to side chain amino acids and inhibits the function of several key metabolic enzymes. In the present study, we used immunocytochemical and immunoblotting techniques to examine the accumulation of protein-bound HNE, and synaptosomal preparations to study the effects of spinal cord injury and HNE formation on glutamate uptake. Protein-bound HNE increased in content in the damaged spinal cord at early times following injury (1–24 h) and was found to accumulate in myelinated fibers distant to the site of injury. Immunoblots revealed that protein-bound HNE levels increased dramatically over the same postinjury interval. Glutamate uptake in synaptosomal preparations from injured spinal cords was decreased by 65% at 24 h following injury. Treatment of control spinal cord synaptosomes with HNE was found to decrease significantly, in a dose-dependent fashion, glutamate uptake, an effect that was mimicked by inducers of lipid peroxidation. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the lipid peroxidation product HNE rapidly accumulates in the spinal cord following injury and that a major consequence of HNE accumulation is a decrease in glutamate uptake, which may potentiate neuronal cell dysfunction and death through excitotoxic mechanisms.     

Hydroperoxide-induced DNA damage and mutations

Hydroperoxides (ROOH) are believed to play an important role in the generation of free radical damage in biology. Hydrogen peroxide (R=H) is produced by endogenous metabolic and catabolic processes in cells, while alkyl hydroperoxides (R=lipid, protein, DNA) are produced by free radical chain reactions involving molecular oxygen (autooxidation). The role of metal ions in generating DNA damage from hydroperoxides has long been recognized, and several distinct, biologically relevant mechanisms have been identified. Identification of the mechanistic pathways is important since it will largely determine the types of free radicals generated, which will largely determine the spectrum of DNA damage produced. Some mechanistic aspects of the reactions of low valent transition metal ions with ROOH and their role in mutagenesis are reviewed with a perspective on their possible role in the biological generation of DNA damage. A survey of hydroperoxide-induced mutagenesis studies is also presented. In vitro footprinting of DNA damage induced by hydroperoxides provides relevant information on sequence context dependent reactivity, and is valuable for the interpretation of mutation spectra since it represents the damage pattern prior to cellular repair. Efforts in this area are also reviewed.     

Biological hydroperoxides and singlet molecular oxygen generation

The decomposition of lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) into peroxyl radicals is a potential source of singlet molecular oxygen ((1)O(2)) in biological systems. Recently, we have clearly demonstrated the generation of (1)O(2) in the reaction of lipid hydroperoxides with biologically important oxidants such as metal ions, peroxynitrite and hypochlorous acid. The approach used to unequivocally demonstrate the generation of (1)O(2) in these reactions was the use of an isotopic labeled hydroperoxide, the (18)O-labeled linoleic acid hydroperoxide, the detection of labeled compounds by HPLC coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) and the direct spectroscopic detection and characterization of (1)O(2) light emission. Using this approach we have observed the formation of (18)O-labeled (1)O(2) by chemical trapping of (1)O(2) with anthracene derivatives and detection of the corresponding labeled endoperoxide by HPLC-MS/MS. The generation of (1)O(2) was also demonstrated by direct spectral characterization of (1)O(2) monomol light emission in the near-infrared region (lambda = 1270 nm). In summary, our studies demonstrated that LOOH can originate (1)O(2). The experimental evidences indicate that (1)O(2) is generated at a yield close to 10% by the Russell mechanism, where a linear tetraoxide intermediate is formed in the combination of two peroxyl radicals. In addition to LOOH, other biological hydroperoxides, including hydroperoxides formed in proteins and nucleic acids, may also participate in reactions leading to the generation (1)O(2). This hypothesis is currently being investigated in our laboratory.     

Formation of active oxygen species and lipid peroxidation induced by hypochlorite.

Hypochlorite or its acid, hypochlorous acid, may exert both beneficial and toxic effects in vivo. In order to understand the role and action of hypochlorite, the formation of active oxygen species and its kinetics were studied in the reactions of hypochlorite with peroxides and amino acids. It was found that tert-butyl hydroperoxide and methyl linoleate hydroperoxide reacted with hypochlorite to give peroxyl and/or alkoxyl radicals with little formation of singlet oxygen in contrast to hydrogen peroxide, which gave singlet oxygen exclusively. Amino acids and ascorbate reacted with hypochlorite much faster than peroxides. Free radical-mediated lipid peroxidation of micelles and membranes in aqueous suspensions was induced by hypochlorite, the chain initiation being the decomposition of hydroperoxides by hypochlorite. It was suppressed efficiently by ebselen which reduced hydroperoxides and by alpha-tocopherol, which broke chain propagation, but less effectively by hydrophilic antioxidants present in the aqueous phase. Cysteine suppressed the oxidation, but it was poorer antioxidant than alpha-tocopherol. Ascorbate also exerted moderate antioxidant capacity, but it acted as a synergist with alpha-tocopherol. Taken together, it was suggested that the primary target of hypochlorite must be sulfhydryl and amino groups in proteins and that the lipid peroxidation may proceed as the secondary reaction, which is induced by radicals generated from sulfenyl chlorides and chloramines.     

Glutathione peroxidase mimics as novel antioxidants from vegetables

Vegetables are generally recognized as rich sources of dietary antioxidants for inhibiting lipid peroxidation. Here we investigated lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH)-reducing activity of several vegetables to estimate their role on the prevention of lipid peroxidation in food and the digestive tract. By using HPLC analysis, we screened vegetables possessing the ability to convert 13-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HPODE) to its reduced derivative, 13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HODE). Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum L.) was found to be highly active in the reduction of 13-HPODE among tested vegetables. There was no relationship between 13-HPODE reducing activity and GSH peroxidase (GPX) activity in the tested vegetables. 13-HPODE-reducing activity of welsh onion was enhanced by the addition of sulfhydryl compounds including glutathione (GSH). Neither GPX inhibitor nor heat treatment suppressed 13-HPODE-reducing activity effectively. These results suggest that welsh onion and other vegetables contain GPX mimics responsible for the reduction of LOOH. GPX mimics may be helpful in the attenuation of harmful effect of LOOH from food.     

Mass Spectrometry Reveals New Insights into the Production of Superoxide Anions and 4‐Hydroxynonenal Adducted Proteins in Human Sperm

The free‐radical theory of male infertility suggests that reactive oxygen species produced by the spermatozoa themselves are a leading cause of sperm dysfunction, including loss of sperm motility. However, the field is overshadowed on several fronts, primarily because: i) the probes used to measure reactive oxygen species (ROS) are imprecise; and ii) many reports suggesting that oxygen radicals are detrimental to sperm function add an exogenous source of ROS. Herein, a more reliable approach to measure superoxide anion production by human spermatozoa based on MS analysis is used. Furthermore, the formation of the lipid‐peroxidation product 4‐hydroxynonenal (4‐HNE) during in vitro incubation using proteomics is also investigated. The data demonstrate that neither superoxide anion nor other free radicals that cause 4‐HNE production are related to the loss of sperm motility during incubation. Interestingly, it appears that many of the 4‐HNE adducted proteins, found within spermatozoa, originate from the prostate. A quantitative SWATH analysis demonstrate that these proteins transiently bind to sperm and are then shed during in vitro incubation. These proteomics‐based findings propose a revised understanding of oxidative stress within the male reproductive tract.     

Free radical formation from organic hydroperoxides in isolated human polymorphonuclear neutrophils.

We have demonstrated with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) that organic hydroperoxides are decomposed to free radicals by both human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and purified myeloperoxidase. When tert-butyl hydroperoxide was incubated with either PMNs or purified myeloperoxidase, peroxyl, alkoxyl, and alkyl radicals were trapped by the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO). In the case of ethyl hydroperoxide, DMPO radical adducts of peroxyl and alkyl (identified as alpha-hydroxyethyl when trapped by tert-nitrosobutane) radicals were detected. Radical adduct formation was inhibited when azide was added to the incubation mixture. Myeloperoxidase-deficient PMNs produced DMPO radical adduct intensities at only about 20-30% of that of normal PMNs. Our studies suggest that myeloperoxidase in PMNs is primarily responsible for the decomposition of organic hydroperoxides to free radicals. The finding of the free radical formation derived from organic hydroperoxides by PMNs may be related to the cytotoxicity of this class of compounds.     

4-hydroxynonenal in foodstuffs: heme concentration, fatty acid composition and freeze-drying are determining factors

4-Hydroxynonenal (HNE) is a product of lipid peroxidation. It has been often used as a biomarker of endogenous lipid peroxidation and its concentration is increased in several diseases. But HNE is not only formed during lipid peroxidation occurring in the body. Some authors have shown that it is also present in oxidized oils and in meats. The aim of this study is to compare the effect of food composition (heme iron, fatty acid composition) or freeze-drying on HNE formation in foodstuffs. The methodology is based on extraction/purification procedure followed by HPLC separation with UV detection. As HNE is chemically very reactive and binds easily to proteins, we used radiolabeled HNE to calculate extraction efficiency, so total HNE can be estimated as only free HNE can be measured. The concomitant presence of both heme iron and omega 6 fatty acids, such as linoleic acid, is important for HNE formation in foodstuffs. Freeze-drying increases this formation.     

Effect of a conjugated quercetin metabolite,quercetin 3-glucuronide,on lipid hydroperoxide-dependent formation of reactive oxygen species in differentiated PC-12 cells

To assess the efficacy of conjugated quercetin metabolites as attenuators for oxidative stress in the central nervous system, we measured the 13-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HPODE)-dependent formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells in the presence of quercetin 3-O-β-glucuronide (Q3GA) and related compounds. A 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin (DCFH) assay showed that Q3GA significantly suppressed the formation of ROS, when it was coincubated with 13-HPODE (coincubation system). However, it was less effective than quercetin aglycon in the concentration range from 0.5 to 10 μM. In an experiment in which the cells were incubated with the test compounds for 24 h before being exposed to 13-HPODE, Q3GA was also effective in suppressing the formation of ROS in spite that little Q3GA was taken up into the cells. These results suggest that antioxidative metabolites of quercetin are capable of protecting nerve cells from attack of lipid hydroperoxides.     

Role of lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (LCK) in the expansion of glioma-initiating cells by fractionated radiation

Lipid peroxidation products have a high reactivity against the primary amino groups of biomolecules such as aminophospholipids, proteins, and DNA. Until now, many papers have reported about the modification of biomolecules derived from lipid peroxides. Our group has also reported that aminophospholipids, such as phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), can be modified by lipid peroxidation including 13-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HPODE). The aim of this study was to examine the oxidative stress in vivo by detecting the formation of N-(hexanoyl)phosphatidylethanolamine (HEPE) and N-(hexanoyl)phosphatidylserine (HEPS), a novel hexanoyl adduct, using a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) and a monoclonal antibody.Consequently, we observed that the formation of HEPE and HEPS occurred in the red blood cell (RBC) ghosts modified by 13-HPODE and the oxidative stress model induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) using LC/MS/MS monitoring hexanoyl ethanolamine (HEEA), a head group of HEPE, and hexanoyl serine (HESE) as a part of HEPS. Furthermore, we obtained a novel type of monoclonal antibody against HEPE. This antibody could recognize HEPE in the liver of rats with oxidative stress in vivo.     

Effect of a conjugated quercetin metabolite, quercetin 3-glucuronide, on lipid hydroperoxide-dependent formation of reactive oxygen species in differentiated PC-12 cells

To assess the efficacy of conjugated quercetin metabolites as attenuators for oxidative stress in the central nervous system, we measured the 13-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HPODE)-dependent formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells in the presence of quercetin 3-O-β-glucuronide (Q3GA) and related compounds. A 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin (DCFH) assay showed that Q3GA significantly suppressed the formation of ROS, when it was coincubated with 13-HPODE (coincubation system). However, it was less effective than quercetin aglycon in the concentration range from 0.5 to 10 μM. In an experiment in which the cells were incubated with the test compounds for 24 h before being exposed to 13-HPODE, Q3GA was also effective in suppressing the formation of ROS in spite that little Q3GA was taken up into the cells. These results suggest that antioxidative metabolites of quercetin are capable of protecting nerve cells from attack of lipid hydroperoxides.