[Studies on membrane factors in iron-supported lipid peroxidation]

Lipid peroxidation in biomembranes is mediated by free radical reactions. It leads to membrane damage and has been proposed to be associated with the pathogenesis to tissue injuries. Iron is known as a catalyst of lipid peroxidation. Microsomal lipid peroxidation by both NADPH and iron-chelate, such as Fe(3+)-ADP or Fe(3+)-PPi, is believed to be enzymatically associated with iron reduction. On the other hand, the addition of free Fe2+ to microsomes or liposomes produces a lag phase before the maximal rates of lipid peroxidation. We examined the interaction of iron with membrane in iron-supported lipid peroxidation and microsomal membrane components associated with iron reduction in NADPH-supported lipid peroxidation. Iron-supported lipid peroxidation was affected by the surface charges of liposomal membrane. Liposomes containing phosphatidylserine (PS) were most sensitive to iron-supported lipid peroxidation. The effect of PS on iron-supported lipid peroxidation indicates that iron participates in binding to membrane surface charges and also indicates that Fe2+ at high level bound to membranes plays a role in producing a lag phase. The mechanism producing a lag phase in Fe(2+)-PPi-supported lipid peroxidation is discussed. In NADPH-supported lipid peroxidation in microsomes, it seemed unlikely that superoxide may be involved in iron reduction. Alternatively, under anaerobic conditions, NADPH-supported iron reduction in microsomes was not dependent on cytochrome P450 content and not inhibited by CO. A cholate-solubilized fraction of microsomes was applied to a laurate-Sepharose column and an active fraction for lipid peroxidation was obtained. Involvement of a heat-labile component, distinct from cytochrome P450, responsible for iron reduction in microsomal lipid peroxidation was demonstrated.