Distinct temporal relation among oxygen uptake, malondialdehyde formation, and low-level chemiluminescence during microsomal lipid peroxidation

An oxystat system was employed in conjunction with a single-photon counting apparatus for simultaneous monitoring of oxygen uptake, oxidative decomposition of membrane lipids, and occurrence of electronically excited species during microsomal lipid peroxidation. During NADPH/ADP-iron-promoted lipid peroxidation at a steady state oxygen partial pressure (pO2) of 30 mm Hg, complex time relationships among oxygen uptake, malondialdehyde (MDA) formation, and low-level chemiluminescence were observed. While the first two parameters occurred nearly simultaneously, low-level chemiluminescence occurred with a significant delay. A decrease of the steady state pO2 to 3 mm Hg led to significant increases of the lag phases of all three parameters and a further enhancement of the time displacement of low-level chemiluminescence in relation to oxygen uptake and MDA formation. At a pO2 of 0.5 mm Hg, the lowest pO2 maintained during this study, no low-level chemiluminescence was observed while oxygen uptake and MDA formation were still detected. In contrast, during NADPH/CCl4-promoted lipid peroxidation at a pO2 of 0.5 mm Hg a sudden drastic rise of low-level chemiluminescence accompanying oxygen uptake and MDA formation was observed. At pO2 between 0.5 and 3 mm Hg all three parameters occurred nearly concomitantly during the entire incubation. At pO2 levels above 3 mm Hg all three parameters showed principally the same behavior. However, the respective maxima of low-level chemiluminescence were reached with some delay. The present observations support the assumption that the decomposition of membrane lipid peroxyl radicals to MDA and the formation of electronically excited species proceed via different pathways. The time displacement between oxygen uptake and MDA formation, on the one hand, and low-level chemiluminescence, on the other hand, depends on the type of initiating radical system and on the steady state pO2 level. It is suggested that the differences are due to distinct subsets (chemical or spatial) of secondary peroxyl radicals in the membrane.