Radiation induced lipid peroxidation: factors which determine the oxidizability of lipids

Lipids are the essential components of cell membranes and lipoproteins. Their peroxidation plays an important role in numerous pathologies in which oxidative stress is involved. Lipid peroxidation occurs through a chain reaction that contributes to membrane damage in cells. It results in the conversion of fatty acids to polar hydroperoxides and leads to the breakdown or malfunction of the membrane. Lipids are amphiphilic molecules that aggregate in aqueous solutions into micelles and liposomes. The effect of this structural organization is significant in studies of radiation-induced peroxidation damage in highly ordered biological systems such as biological membranes. In this paper, a synthesis of the data concerning radioinduced lipid peroxidation is completed by an original review of the different parameters that determine lipid oxidizability. In addition, the influence of lipid aggregation and the effect of molecular packing are discussed.