Xanthine:acceptor oxidoreductase activities in ischemic rat skin flaps

Xanthine:acceptor oxidoreductase activities were assayed in free skin flaps following prolonged preservation. In normal rat skin, xanthine dehydrogenase transfers electrons to NAD+ and accounts for 73% of total oxidoreductase activity, and xanthine oxidase transfers electrons to molecular oxygen and accounts for the remaining 27%. Xanthine oxidase activity increased significantly in skin flaps during ischemia: approximately 30 and 100% increases after 6 and 24 hr of ischemia, respectively. Allopurinol inhibited xanthine oxidoreductase activity: free skin flaps obtained from allopurinol-treated animals exhibited a low level of xanthine oxidoreductase activity throughout the period of preservation. Systemic allopurinol significantly improved the survival rate from 32 to 75% of free flaps transferred after 24 hr of preservation at room temperature. These observations suggest that the xanthine oxidase system is a major source of oxygen free radicals following ischemia/reperfusion in skin. The increase in xanthine oxidase is attributable to the conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase to oxidase, a conversion which involves sulfhydryl oxidation in skin flaps.