[Role of endogenous free iron in activating lipid peroxidation in ischemia]

Ischemia was simulated in rat liver perfused by physiological solution. The concentration of free iron and lipid peroxidation (LPO) products was measured 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 hours after ischemia onset. The ESR method was used to measure free iron concentration. The LPO intensity was evaluated by the TBA test and by optical density at 232 nm. The content of free iron in cytoplasm increased in the course of ischemia with an increase in the concentration of LPO products. The content of free iron in the membranes remained unchanged. It is supposed that activation of LPO in ischemia may be caused by the appearance in the cytoplasm of a large amount of free iron. This iron can be liberated from ferritin in conditions of low oxygen concentration.