Evidence for free radical generation due to NADH oxidation by aldehyde oxidase during ethanol metabolism

Several studies associate ethanol hepatic toxicity to the generation of reactive oxygen species. Ethanol metabolism by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) originates acetaldehyde and NADH, with the subsequent increase of the NADH/NAD+ ratio. Some authors have suggested that the oxidation of acetaldehyde by aldehyde oxidase (AO) may be responsible for oxyradical generation during ethanol metabolism. In this study we demonstrated that AO acts not only upon acetaldehyde but also upon NADH, with superoxide anion radical (O2.-) formation. The apparent Km of NADH for AO was approximately 28 microM, a much smaller value than the one reported for acetaldehyde (1 mM). The NADH oxidation by AO promoted the O2.- generation and the ADP-Fe(3+)-dependent microsomal lipid peroxidation in a NADH and AO concentration-dependent manner. If in these experiments NADH is substituted by ethanol, NAD+, and ADH, a higher level of lipid peroxidation will be obtained. To explain this observation a vicious cycle which increases the oxyradical production is suggested: ADH reduces NAD+ to NADH, which is oxidized by AO, generating reactive oxidative species plus NAD+ available again for reduction by ADH. From the studies which were done in the presence of some antioxidants it was observed that the addition of SOD and/or catalase did not inhibit lipid peroxidation, but these results do not exclude the participation of reactive oxygen species. Our studies indicate that the NADH oxidation by AO may play a role in ethanol-induced generation of reactive oxygen species, contributing to its hepatotoxicity.