The oxidation of NADH by tetravalent vanadium

Vanadyl (V(IV)) salts autoxidize in neutral aqueous solution yielding O2- plus vanadate (V(V)) and these, in turn, cause the oxidation of NADH, by a free radical chain reaction. This oxidation of NADH was inhibited by superoxide dismutase, but not by a scavenger of HO.. When H2O2 was present V(IV) caused rapid oxidation of NADH by a process which was unaffected by superoxide dismutase but was inhibited by a scavenger of HO.. This appeared to be dependent upon reduction of H2O2 to OH- plus HO., by V(IV)), followed by oxidation of NADH by HO.. Since there are reductants, within cells, capable of reducing V(V) to V(IV), these reactions are likely to contribute to the toxicity of vanadate.