Preparation and characterization of Mn-salophen complex with superoxide scavenging activity

Mn(III)-salophen complex with superoxide scavenging activity was prepared from manganese(III) acetate dihydrate and salophen in ethanol. Visible absorption spectrum of the red-brown complex exhibits a shoulder at 430 nm which was absent with either salophen or manganic acetate alone. Titration of salophen with manganese(III) is consistent with a 1:1 Mn to salophen stoichiometry of the complex based on changes in the absorbance at 500 nm or of superoxide scavenging activity. The superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity of the complex in the xanthine-xanthine oxidase/cytochrome c assay was 1450 units/mg salophen. The SOD activity of the complex was suppressed 50% in the presence of EDTA (1 mM), but was not altered in the presence of bovine serum albumin (1 mg/ml) or crude protein extract of Escherichia coli QC779 sodA-sodB- (1 mg/ml). E. coli QC779 sodA-sodB- grew scantily after an 8-h lag phase in aerobic M63 glucose minimal medium. The aerobic growth of the E. coli SOD double mutant in glucose minimal medium was greatly enhanced in the presence of 5 or 10 microM Mn-salophen complex compared to that of control after 24 h incubation. Mn-desferal green complex (10 microM) and pink complex (5 microM) also increased growth rate of E. coli QC779 sodA-sodB- but to a lesser extent than Mn-salophen complex. However, the growth was completely inhibited by 50 microM Mn-salophen complex, 100 microM Mn-desferal green complex, or 10 microM Mn-desferal pink complex.