Effect of Lipid Peroxidation on the Accessibility of Dansyl Chloride Labeling to Lipids and Proteins of Bovine Myelin

In our previous studies we have demonstrated that bovine myelin appears highly susceptible to oxidative damage to both its lipid and protein composition. In order to determine whether these alterations would affect the accessibility of myelin components to a fluorescent probe, we have performed various labeling experiments using dansyl chloride. Results from labeling of purified bovine myelin treated with or without cumene hydroperoxide show that basic protein from treated myelin incorporated more dansyl chloride than basic protein from untreated myelin. This increase of labeling could be prevented by the addition of the antioxdant agent, butylated hydroxytoluene. This evidence suggests that lipid peroxidation may play an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory demyelinating diseases.