Fe2+-supported in vivo lipid peroxidation induced by compounds undergoing redox cycling

Treatment of male mice with the redox cycling compounds nitrofurantoin, paraquat, diquat or menadione failed to elicit in vivo lipid peroxidation as evidenced by ethane exhalation. The first three led to an enhanced ethane production, however, when the animals were pretreated with a low dose of Fe2+. While GSH-depletion by phorone pretreatment alone had no influence on the in vivo lipid peroxidation as evidenced by ethane expiration in the presence of either compound, the combined treatment with phorone, Fe2+ and nitrofurantoin, paraquat or diquat led to a further enhancement of ethane exhalation. These results indicate that redox cycling compounds do not initiate lipid peroxidation by themselves, but are well capable of stimulating the iron-induced LPO.